


Back to You

by lookslikerain



Category: Arashi (Band)
Genre: Fluff, Getting Back Together, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-06
Updated: 2020-03-06
Packaged: 2021-03-01 03:07:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 21,280
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23038327
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lookslikerain/pseuds/lookslikerain
Summary: Coming back to Japan after a five years absence, Sho's set on fixing things between him and Jun while Jun's set on not revealing whether he's dating anyone or not.
Relationships: Matsumoto Jun/Sakurai Sho, Minor or Background Relationship(s), Ninomiya Kazunari/Ohno Satoshi
Comments: 11
Kudos: 71
Collections: Hi-ho! I'm your aibou!





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [learashi](https://archiveofourown.org/users/learashi/gifts).



> Dear learashi,  
> Had fun with your prompts and decided to mix things up between the ex-lovers getting back together one and of Sho being a chef. Also, enjoy those additional details I added based on your other prompts and answers :) I made those three desserts you mentioned to be the ones having the most significant meaning!

The voices of the people around are loud and Sho hunches up his shoulder, pulling the strap of his bag when it slides down. The arrival gate is filled with people, laughter, bright voices, along with long embraces by those awaiting the return of their loved ones.

Sho tries not to dwell too much about the lack of people awaiting him and smiles at the intercom going off. He doesn’t pay particular attention to what’s being said, but there is a sense of comfort he can’t begin to describe at hearing the announcer speak in Japanese.

He’s finally back home to stay.

A young boy makes his way past him, gleefully calling out to his father as he rushes to lunge himself at him and Sho watches with a small smile the way the father effortlessly picks up his son and hugs him tightly.

He looks down and turns away, exiting the arrival gate as he pockets out his phone, and freezes when he spots a familiar figure. He’s slumping on one of the seats, eyes fixed on his phone tight in his hold, and Sho is calling out for him without realising it.

“Ohno-san?”

When Ohno looks up, he gleams, pocketing his phone and holds his arms out just as he stands up.

Sho chuckles and he’s being pulled in for a tight hug by Ohno the moment he’s beside him, arms tight around him, and Sho shuts his eyes at the familiarity of Ohno.

“Welcome back. We missed you.”

“Why are you here?” Sho asks when they pull apart and Ohno smiles.

“To pick you up.”

* * *

The ride to his place is spent with him nearly half-asleep and Ohno doesn’t try to get him to stay awake. They’ve all planned to meet at Nino’s place tonight to celebrate his return and Sho figures he needs the rest.

He stumbles inside his apartment, still filled with the moving boxes he brought in last time he dropped by here for a few days to get everything sorted, and the sight of them and the thought of unpacking fills him up with exhaustion he throws himself face first into the sofa, hearing Ohno’s voice mumbling something about staying over. 

* * *

He’s greeted by Aiba’s bright smile and arms pulling him forward sharply, sending him tripping over his own feet, and Aiba chuckles brightly, “Sho-chan! Welcome back!”

Ohno pats Sho’s back and makes his way past the genkan to somewhere inside Nino’s apartment, leaving Sho and Aiba alone. Sho pats Aiba’s back after a few moments just as Aiba’s grip tightens, “Thank you. But, can you let go now? I can’t breathe.”

Aiba lets go, leaning back but still holding onto Sho’s shoulders, eyes gleaming and voice gentle, “Don’t leave us again for that long.”

“Aiba-chan.” Aiba lets go and turns around at the additional voice and Sho can only lean sideways to take a quick glimpse, “Can you go help Oh-chan in the kitchen? And hi, Sho-chan. Welcome back. You better appreciate the fact I decided to do all of this in my place.”

“Thank you, Nino. That was the warmest welcome I’ve ever gotten. Nothing can top it, really—”

Nino rolls his eyes and steps forward, nudging Aiba still staring between the two with a glow in his eyes, “Shut up. And you, go already.”

Aiba blinks his eyes and Nino tilts his head, crossing his arms against his chest, “Where?”

“Where...” Nino repeats quietly, narrowing his eyes at Aiba’s innocent smile, “Kitchen. Ohno.”

“I thought everything was ready—” Nino huffs out a breath when Aiba’s eyes widen, flustered as he looks back at Sho then, “Oh. Yeah.  _ That _ . Okay.”

Sho’s heart thumps a little, comprehending where this is going, and dreading it. If only he could turn around and leave. If only he can delay this further.

“Just go.” Nino shoves Aiba and Aiba chuckles nervously as he hurriedly walks away, leaving them alone by the door.

“How’s everything, Nino? It’s been so long—” The glare Nino shoots towards him has him biting his lips before mumbling, “Do we really have to do this now?”

“Yes,  _ now _ . Five years is more than enough time.”

Sho can’t help the whine that he lets out as Nino wraps his fingers around his wrist, nudging him past the genkan, into the living room.

He’s pushed onto the sofa and Sho lets out a long breath when Nino clears his throat, “I’m sorry.”

“Say that to Jun-chan, not me.”

Sho inhales sharply at hearing that familiar name. The one name everyone’s been avoiding to mention ever since he announced his decision to come back to Japan. It’s not like the entire thing was never not brought up, it’s just always brought up forced awkward expressions by Ohno, sad eyes by Aiba, and the irritation so visible in Nino’s voice whenever he spoke about it.

Five years ago he left Japan.

Five years ago he left Japan while breaking Jun’s heart.

Nino huffs out and Sho slumps back into the sofa, staring down idly at the floor, “What are you planning?”

“I want to apologise. I broke up with him and left immediately afterwards without explaining anything or why I was doing what I was doing.” He throws his head back and shuts his eyes, “I’m such an idiot.”

“You don’t say that enough.” Nino mumbles.

Sho blinks his eyes when he feels Nino’s foot nudging him and he meets his eyes to find Nino smiling brightly, “If you upset him any further I’ll murder you.”

Nino’s sweet terrifying smile does nothing to ease his heart or the pang of guilt at Nino’s word.

_ Upset him any further.  _ That was Nino purposely telling him Jun was obviously hurt by him.

Sho nods his head, staring down at his foot, memories flooding back of that day five years ago.

The obvious shock in Jun’s eyes at his words, pained and forced smile when Sho ended it all with the only reasoning being he felt it wasn’t working out, when things were obviously the opposite. Back then, the burn out made him lose interest in everything and leave Japan at the first opportunity he got. He made Jun feel as if he was one of the things that piled up and increased his stress and contributed to his burn out when in reality, Jun was the only positive thing in his life back then. Yet he left, never giving Jun the chance to be heard.

His voice is barely audible when he asks Nino, “I haven’t seen him in five years. How is he doing now?” 

“He’s going to be here today. Ask him that yourself.”

Sho takes in a deep breath, looking up at Nino with a little frown, “This is going to be difficult.”

The doorbell going off has his eyes widening and Nino chuckles when Aiba shouts, “Jun-chan is here!”

His heart does a thousand flips and he takes in a deep breath, before forcing himself to stand up straight, Nino finding Sho’s nervousness amusing with his bright chuckles.

He parts his lips, but gets interrupted by a familiar voice calling for him, “Sho-san?”

Sho turns around immediately, freezing at the sight of Jun. His hair’s gotten slightly longer, still puffy and neatly styled, eyes bright with a polite smile on display, and Sho can’t stop the way his eyes linger admiring Jun’s body.

He doesn’t remember Jun being this broad. But more importantly, he looks good.  _ Really good _ . Those past five years have treated him well.

“Welcome back.” Jun greets, snapping Sho out of his thoughts, and he stutters until Nino shoves him sharply and he manages to utter back a quick reply.

“Thank you.”

Jun doesn’t seem distraught or finds anything suspicious, and Aiba thankfully drags him with him inside the kitchen.

“Good job, Sho. Really impressive. Amazing.” Nino’s cackling and Sho lets out a long breath, rubbing his forehead.

How is he supposed to spend the rest of the night being normal with Jun around?

* * *

It hasn’t even been a day, but Sho’s contemplating to murder Nino already.

By the end of the night, Ohno ended up falling asleep on the sofa and Nino draped a blanket atop him, allowing him to stay over, only to grin and add how Sho’s place is on the way and Jun can drop him home.

The look he threw towards Aiba’s direction was terrifying enough to have Aiba stay completely quiet and not offer to drop him home instead. Plus, the way Aiba grinned is enough for him to know he’s pretty much into it too.

Which is how he ended up being here, in Jun’s car with a melody familiar playing but Sho can’t quite grasp where he’s heard it before. It’s quietly being played and he’s tempted to ask to increase the volume, but stops himself from doing so when he notices the way Jun taps his fingers alongside the rhythm against the steering wheel.

It’s a familiar sight. Of all the times he and Jun would get in his car, Jun tapping his fingers alongside to all the songs he remembers and Sho switching between the radio stations, delighted and amused each time by the glares Jun would have on display for never staying on one station for too long.

The glares never held any resentment, always softening when Jun would grumble and put his hand down, and Sho would purposely take that chance to intertwine their hands, smirking when Jun would bite his lips back from smiling. Grumpy yet gentle, it was always his favourite way to describe Jun.

It aches Sho’s heart at the reminder and of all the privileges he lost with Jun and he’s got only himself to blame.

“Sho-san?”

Sho’s eyes widen, Jun’s voice snapping him out of his thoughts, and immediately averts his gaze from where he’d been staring at Jun’s hand, to find Jun glancing at him for a second before focusing back on the road, “I was just asking you if it’s this left turn or the one after it.”

Sho nods his head before shaking it and glancing ahead, “Next one.”

Jun hums in response, silence washing over them for a short moment, “You okay?”

“Yeah. Just tired. It’s been a very long week and a very long flight today morning.” Sho’s reply has Jun nodding his head and offering no other word.

This time the silence lingers until they come to a red stop and Jun glances aside, outside the window, staring idly.

It’s the familiarness of Jun and the lack of any resentment from Jun that has Sho shifting in his seat, sitting straight, and mumbling in a quiet voice, “I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine, Sho-san. Your place is on the way.”

“I’m sorry for the way I ended things five years ago.”

The way Jun flinches at that has Sho cringing, eyes focused at every little reaction of Jun and the way he purposely keeps on staring outside. Jun’s small sharp inhale is still audible, “You got an amazing opportunity, of course you’d want to take it.” Jun’s voice doesn’t change a bit, voice monotone and not giving a way a hint of his feelings, or at least those feelings he had five years ago.

Sho shakes his head, even when Jun’s still staring outside, “Doesn’t mean what I did was right. I ended things without offering any explanation—”

“It wasn’t working out, that’s what you told me.” Jun’s reply comes so quickly, surprising Sho and Jun himself with the way he goes quiet instantly, shifting to stare ahead when the lights turn green, and not uttering another word.

“I hurt you. Even though things were going well between us and I knew that, I still selfishly ended it to get away and hurt you. I’m sorry.”

Jun lets out another short breath, forcing a quiet chuckle, but Sho doesn’t miss noticing the way his grip on the wheel has tightened, “I was there with you, Sho-san. I saw the way everything piled up and everyone’s high expectations of you and how it was stressing you out. You weren’t the same for a couple of months, you were completely burned out, and you only got better after getting that opportunity. Chances are, if you had stayed and we continued being together, it would have ended badly.”

Jun’s words are running through his head and Sho doesn’t pay attention to what he’s saying until he blurts out, “I could have gone but still considered our relationship, but I didn’t even give you that chance. Maybe we could have stayed longer together and we could still have been—”

Sho cuts himself off when Jun glances at him, eyes wide, and the realisation of what he just said sinks in. Sho shakes his head and looks aside, apologising, “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.”

“You’re just thinking of all the what-ifs scenarios. It’s fine. It happens.” Jun mumbles, staring ahead again and Sho doesn’t know what’s in him that has him blurting out.

“So you’ve thought of that too?”

“Obviously—” Jun goes quiet, the way he huffs out a breath more than enough for Sho to know he’s regretting his quick answer, an unintended confession, before adding hesitantly, “I mean, of course, it’s natural. Everyone does it.” 

Sho looks down at his hands, pulling on a loose thread of his jacket, and doesn’t understand why his heart feels lighter at that. Why he’s fighting back the urge to smile. Why he’s all giddy. Why all of a sudden him coming back to Japan seems to be the best decision he’s done in such a long time.

Except he does.

His only regret these past five years was the way he ended things with Jun and with Jun’s accidental confession, he’s filled with a newfound hope that things could be turned around completely.

He might be able to get another chance with Jun if that’s what Jun is feeling.

“Stop grinning. It’s creepy.” Jun mumbles and Sho can’t help the burst of laughter.

“You weren’t even looking at me.”

“I unfortunately know you enough.” Jun grumbles, grinning despite his complaints, and Sho hums.

“How’s everything going on?” Sho asks instead, genuinely curious about Jun and Nino’s unwillingness to share anything with him has only grown his curiosity, “The only thing I know for sure is you’re working in a new place.”

“Started a few months back. It’s a small cafe, but does pretty well. They needed a new chef and Toma apparently knew the owner and recommended me.” Jun explains and Sho nods his head.

“You seem happy.”

“I am.” Jun’s reply comes in an instant and it warms Sho’s heart.

He smiles, “I’m glad.”

Jun smiles and Sho carefully asks, “You’re seeing anyone?”

“And how is everything with you?” Jun asks instead, shaking his head at the way Sho laughs brightly.

“It was just a curious genuine question.”

“And I just asked you a genuine question. You’re a food critic now. I’m guessing that’s you officially retiring from cooking?” Jun takes a quick glimpse at him, and Sho shrugs.

“At least for now. I don’t know, I feel like I lost that interest and genuine passion I had for cooking.”

“So being away didn’t help?”

“Not at all.” Neither of them gets another chance to utter one more word when Sho’s building is insight and Jun parks the car.

Jun glimpses at him, his smile genuine and Sho quietly asks, “We’re okay, right?”

The way Jun’s smile doesn’t flatter as he nods his head has Sho’s heart doing a little flip before wishing him a goodnight and leaving the car.

He’s not surprised the first thing he does as soon he’s inside his apartment is taking out his phone and texting Nino.

“ _ Is Jun dating anyone? _ ”

Nino’s reply comes in an instant not answering his question.

“ _ I don’t even want to know what you two talked about in the car.” _

* * *

Two weeks in Tokyo were enough for him to unpack most of his belongings and settle down.

He’s managed to drop by and visit his parents’ place twice, not counting the additional two times his mother nagged him into taking them out for dinner. He didn’t complain and held back from his usual bickering knowing his mother deserved this with how he rarely visited within the past five years and he himself had grown homesick.

Ohno, Nino, and Aiba dropped by during the weekend and helped him unpack. He hadn’t realised how much he’d missed them until he witnessed one of Nino’s and Aiba’s constant, familiar bickering. By the end of the night, he offered Ohno to stay over instead of Nino dropping him off since Sho was getting slightly emotional, but Nino dragged Ohno with him quickly and Ohno only chuckled.

Getting ready for work was also on the list. The magazine he’s working with had already prepared his first assignment and Sho thoroughly researched the cafe. Going through customers’ reviews and comments resulted in him reading constant high praisals while jotting down to definitely try out the sticky date pudding everyone had recommended. The one peculiar comment that stood out in a few blog posts was how good looking the head chef was and anyone that gets to spot him is lucky.

Get the pudding and see if you can spot the head chef. That’s his goal for today, Sho thinks, pulling on his jacket as the breeze passes as he stares at the door of the cafe.

_ Stay Gold. _

Sho pushes the door open, stepping in, and sighing at the warmth of the place saving him from the sharp winter breeze.

He’s instantly greeted by the owner, Muro Tsuyoshi. He’s very cheerful and answers every question Sho has in a thoughtful manner. The meals are all well made and he falls in love with each one, while he still eagerly awaits the plate coming last: the sticky date pudding.

The sticky date pudding arrives presented in an exquisite way. The dessert is at the centre of the black matte plate, sauce spread over it equally, and crumbs trailing a path between it and vanilla ice cream beside it.

The first spoon he takes has him humming brightly. The pudding is still warm, melting in his mouth, and offering such a sweet yet salty taste as expected of the butterscotch sauce; a welcomed balance. The cinnamon crumbs give it just enough spice and Sho shuts his eyes, savouring the taste, and smiling at how surprisingly familiar the entire thing is.

It’s a coincidence, it’s the only rational explanation, but the presentation and the taste of the pudding has him reminiscing of the day Jun trailed after him in his kitchen, demanding Sho to teach him just as he started specializing in desserts, and they spent the night preparing the sticky date pudding.

It was Jun’s idea to sprinkle the cinnamon crumbs, trailing a path between it and the ice cream, and the way he stood back admiring his work is still engraved in Sho.

The smile he’s got on display is probably out of place, heart reminiscing on a past he lost, and can’t help himself but look at Muro and ask, “Muro-san, do you know a chef called Matsumoto Jun?”

Muro blinks his eyes, whipping his head suddenly backwards, staring at the staff door separating the kitchen and the dining area, before gazing back at Sho with a curious look in his eyes, “He’s the head chef here. May I know why you’re asking?”

Sho grins, heart warming up at this new information, “He’s a friend of mine and was my kouhai a long time ago. We recently met again.”

Muro’s eyes widen, brightly grinning as he leans slightly forward, “You were Jun’s senpai?! How was he before? You must have lots of stories about him, Sakurai-san…” Muro trails off, face going blank, before his eyes widen dramatically as he sputters, “Wait! You’re the Sho-san he mentioned he met recently?! The ex-boyfriend?!”

Sho scratches the back of his neck, nodding his head tentatively, and smiles awkwardly. So Muro and Jun are good friends, he should have expected that. Either way, he doesn’t get the chance to utter one more word before Muro holds his hand out for him, smirking mischievously, “Want to meet him in the kitchen? There’s still some time left before the lunch rush. We can have fun.”

Heart thrumming, Sho nods his head, giddy at the prospect of surprising Jun and shakes Muro’s hand before following him to the kitchen.

At the opposite side of the kitchen, Jun’s standing by the counter, with a notepad in his hand. They’re facing his back and Sho notices the way his shoulders are scrunched upwards, an obvious telltale sign he’s too focused intently in his work. There’s another person in the kitchen, a younger boy with messy black hair, the sleeves of his shirt pushed up messily, offering a small boyish smile to Sho with a little nod when Muro signals for him to keep quiet.

“Jun, listen. You won’t believe what happened. The food critic heard you’re beautiful in many blogs and wants to see you.”

Jun doesn’t miss a beat, shifting on his feet as he grumbles, “I don’t have time for this nonsense.”

“Can’t spare me a few minutes of your time, Matsujun?”

The way Jun whirls around at his voice, eyes wide, and gaping has Sho chuckling brightly. He instantly gains his composure, narrowing his eyes at Muro and Sho, “What are you doing here?”

“Food critic.” Sho says as a way of explanation and doesn’t miss noticing from the corner of his eyes the other kid shifting on his feet awkwardly.

“Ah, right. Mackenyu, this is Sakurai Sho. He’s the food critic we had coming today and happens to also be Jun-kun’s senpai and friend.” Muro introduces him and Mackenyu nervously bows, introducing himself again.

Muro meets Sho’s eyes and grins before looking down at his watch and humming, “Mackenyu-chan, come. I need your help.”

He drags Mackenyu with him instantly outside, grinning at Jun’s frown as he mumbles what could he possibly want, and Sho walks around the counters in the middle, eyes roaming the place, until he stops by Jun’s side, “What are you writing down?”

“Coming up with special monthly dishes—wait, what are you doing here?” Jun turns around when Sho leans against the counter, and swats his hand away when Sho tries grabbing the notebook. He ignores Sho’s frown, “I can’t believe the first place you’ve been assigned to had to be the one I work in.”

Sho hums, reaching for the notebook again and Jun tsks, grabbing the notebook and holding it high above his head. Sho turns his head, eyes meeting Jun’s instantly, and freezes for a fraction of a second admiring the way Jun raises a brow at him, hair messy and fluffy, falling forward slightly, and Sho has to hold himself back from pushing that astray hair strand back and have his own way to grab the notebook.

“It was fate. I didn’t even know you work here.” Sho finally says with a grin, earning a whack to the head by Jun with the notebook.

“Stop talking.” Jun drops his notebook aside and glances at Sho again, “How did you know it was me?”

Sho hums, turning around to stare at the rest of the kitchen, “The pudding. You still prepare it the same after all these years. I mean, not counting how you burnt it the first time.” Sho tilts his head back, smirking at Jun, “Remember how cute you were asking me to help you?”

“Worst mistake of my life.” Jun rolls his eyes, shaking his head as he starts rolling the sleeves of his shirt, “And I remember very clearly telling you it was your fault I burnt it.”

“How was it my fault?” Sho frowns and Jun shrugs.

“I don’t remember what happened, but…” Jun trails off, staring idly at the corner spot of the counter and Sho tilts his head.

He parts his mouth but no words come out when suddenly all the memories rush back.

Right, pinning Jun against the counter and demanding his reward for teaching him was his fault. He knew that it wouldn’t end with one kiss, instead it ended with them under the sheets in the bedroom, and the dessert left forgotten in the oven.

“Yet you still continued asking me for help.” Sho grins when Jun narrows his eyes at him.

“It’s the absolute worst being your ex-boyfriend.”

Sho shrugs, humming before quietly adding, “You haven’t answered me from last time, by the way.”

“Huh?”

“Are you dating anyone?”

Jun frowns, eyes skeptic, “Are you serious?” Sho’s grin is enough for Jun to shake his head, mumbling, “You’re an idiot.”

“That’s a no, isn’t it?” Sho leans forward enthusiastically, bumping into Jun’s side, “You’re not dating anyone? That means I can get a chance—”

“First of all,” Jun crosses his arms against his chest defensively, taking a step back, “I didn’t say that. And you seriously think we can work things out again?”

“There’s only one way to find out.”

His gaze meets Jun and he doesn’t avert his gaze until Jun’s shoulders slump in defeat, shaking his head with a tiny smile that nearly goes unnoticeable when he says quietly, “Do whatever you want.”

* * *

“Nino, can I ask you something?”

“No, Sho-chan.”

“How was Jun after we broke up—”

“Did you hear my no—”

“I want to really know how—”

“Shut up.” Nino groans, eyes focused on his phone, tapping hurriedly, and Sho sighs.

Until Nino clears the level he’s not allowed to talk.

He shifts in his spot on the sofa, glancing aside at Ohno with his eyes shut tightly, unmoving, and he can’t tell if he’s awake or still asleep. He settles on focusing on the paintings decorating the opposite wall, paintings so similar and familiar, he nudges Ohno gently and the way Ohno blinks his eyes instantly is enough an indication he hadn’t been asleep yet.

“You did these?” Sho asks and Ohno hums, shutting his eyes again.

“If I hadn’t, these walls would still be empty.”

Sho hums, turning his head around, to admire the other side, until his eyes stop when he notices a photo on the floor, just underneath the coffee table. He tilts his head, squinting his eyes, and chuckles at the photo.

It’s a photo of Ohno smiling brightly, holding a fish up proudly, and the sunset behind him. It’s an adorable photo and Sho glances at Ohno again.

“That photo of yours is adorable.”

“ _ What _ ?”

That garners a response from Ohno and, surprisingly, Nino. Nino lets go of his phone and Sho raises a brow, “What photo?”

“That.”

Sho points to it and Nino stares between the photo and Ohno blankly, quietly getting up and grabbing it. He doesn’t give it back to Ohno, instead keeping it aside at the top of the table, before going back to his phone and Ohno shuts his eyes again with a smile this time.

Sho blinks his eyes, staring between the two, until he notices Nino picking up his phone again and instantly interrupts him, “Wait, wait! Please answer me already.”

Nino groans and puts down his phone to glare at him, “Jun was unhappy, what were you expecting me to say?”

“And did he have any serious relationships afterwards?”

Nino sighs, grabbing his phone again, “I don’t understand why you’re asking me and not Jun.”

“Because it’s weird asking him.” Sho mumbles and Nino shrugs.

“Deal with it.”

Nino goes back to his game, tapping all over again, and Sho stares between him and Ohno, who’s just a few second away from falling asleep, before loudly announcing.

“I still love Jun.” Ohno peeks an eye open and Nino freezes in his spot, encouraging Sho to continue, “I kind of want to try getting back together.”

Nino tears his eyes from his phone to look back at Sho, voice serious when he says, “If you repeat what you did five years ago, I’ll make you regret coming back to Japan.”

He smiles sweetly at the end of it before going back to his phone and Sho looks back at Ohno, who only responds by holding his thumbs out.

“But you’re still giving me your approval?” Sho mumbles out and Nino sighs loudly.

“You two are a disaster, you’re fit to be together.”

Ohno holds out his other thumb as well this time.

* * *

“Nino told me you dropped by and told him weird things last week.”

Jun grabs a glass, tall and narrow with a short stem, turning it around in his hand, and nodding his head approvingly at it before grabbing another identical one.

“What weird things?” Sho leans against the counter, watching Jun pick up thinly sliced strawberry pieces and adoring the inside of the glasses with it.

“He didn’t tell me exactly what they were.” Jun halts when Sho leans forward, picking up a slice of the strawberry and Jun tsks, “Don’t start.”

“It’s so sweet.” Sho hums instead much to Jun’s annoyance.

“Leave. Don’t you have anything better to do?” Sho shakes his head, grinning brightly at the way Jun heaves out a long breath, “You’re annoying.”

It’s only been two weeks since his first assignment and learning that Jun works in this cafe. And in those two weeks, he’s found himself regularly dropping by with what Muro said.

“ _ Jun helps a lot until the lunch rush. Drop by whenever you can. Nino gave me his approval.” _

So Muro knows Nino as well, and everyone seems to know that when it involves Sho and Jun, to seek Nino’s approval first.

Either way, Sho’s getting familiar with this. Of spending mornings researching and writing up reviews, heading to different places for his assignments, and dropping by twice a week at  _ Stay Gold _ to spend the remainder of his free time with Jun.

Jun pours a thin layer of the strawberry puree in the glass, snapping Sho out of his thoughts, and watches him as he carefully adds a layer of shortcake. Sho uses Jun’s distraction to grab another slice of strawberry and Jun tsks loudly again, “Stop eating the ingredients!”

Sho chuckles at Jun’s glare, raising his arms in surrender. He quiets down when he adds the cream he prepared earlier, before adding another layer of the shortcake, and repeating the process two more times.

“What made you specialize in desserts?” Sho asks, eyes still stuck upon Jun’s hand skillfully pouring in the new layer.

“I just realised I enjoy making them. It gives me more room to create more creative things with it.” Jun explains, taking a step back, and nodding his head at the filled glasses, “Okay. Next, the white chocolate…”

He rests his hand atop the counter, resting his cheek against it, and for now admires Jun’s skillful handwork. He starts by squeezing a good amount of the cream on top, until a heap of it comes out, and squeezes two smaller drops in front of it. Next, he grabs the bowl with the white chocolate curls, carefully covering the entire cream with it, and places the bowl down to grab two drops of decorative chocolate, placing them beside each other into the center, and another drop just beneath them in the middle.

Setting the bowl down again, Jun steps back with his arms crossed against his chest and a frown in display staring at his newest creation.

“A polar bear strawberry parfait. It’s cute.” Jun lets out a long unsatisfied breath at Sho’s words, “What’s wrong with it?”

“The cream isn’t forming properly. If I want to make a proper circle for the head, I have to put too much of it and it’s just not standing up properly on its own.” Jun steps forward, raising the glass until it is in his eye level and glares at it.

Sho taps his fingers against the counter, humming slightly as he reconsiders all the steps Jun took, and stands straight, “What if you add a strawberry?”

“Huh?” Jun looks beside him and Sho steps forward, grabbing one of the whole strawberries Jun hadn’t sliced earlier.

“Can I try something?” Jun nods his head, allowing Sho to step forward.

Sho doesn’t think much about it, stepping so close to Jun, that when Jun takes a step back, he’s practically leaning against him as he watches Sho place the strawberry atop the other glass. Following Jun’s earlier steps, Sho follows each identical step Jun had done, except this time the cream is steadier with the strawberry serving as a base to hold it in place.

Jun places the chocolate drops, forming the tiny face of the polar bear, and Sho smiles at it. Compared to the earlier one, this one has shaped up properly.

“That looks better.” Jun mumbles, tilting his head slightly, bumping into Sho’s shoulder, “It’s missing its ears. You think I should just add some white chocolate?”

“Do you have marshmallows?” Sho asks instead and it has Jun turning his head, their faces just a few inches apart.

“Cut it and apply sanding sugar to it?” Jun asks, voice barely above a whisper, and Sho smiles gently at how quickly their minds were in forming the same idea.

The door’s pushed open the very same moment, Mackenyu mumbling a quiet excuse me, before freezing in his spot when Sho and Jun stare at him. He’s gaping at them and Sho furrows his brows, but Jun beats him to it, “Bring me some marshmallows.”

“Huh? O-okay.” Mackenyu nods his head tentatively, heading towards the other side while Jun grabs the container of the sanding sugar nearby.

He hands the marshmallow pack quietly to Jun and Jun quickly takes a piece out, grabbing a nearby knife and cutting it in half. Sho wordlessly grabs one of the halves, covering the sticky side with the sanding sugar and Jun repeats the same with the other half, before placing it atop the head with a satisfied smile.

“It’s all done.” Jun whispers, admiring his work with a proud smile, and Sho can’t help himself but stare between the polar bear and Jun’s expression.

Silence lingers momentarily, before Jun turns his head, staring at Mackenyu still stuck in his spot, gaping at them, “Okay, what’s wrong with you?”

Mackenyu responds by pointing at Sho and Sho furrows his brows until he speaks, “Jun-kun, you never let anyone hug you or just get too close to you from behind.”

That’s when it all sinks in for Jun. Slowly looking aside, he stares at Sho blankly and Sho’s grin turns into a smirk that has Jun shoving him away and stepping aside as he grumbles to Mackenyu, “He’s annoying.”

“So that’s what Muro-san said...” Mackenyu mumbles out, nodding his head eventually, before turning around and heading back to his own corner in the kitchen.

Sho prods Jun’s side much to Jun’s dismay and whispers, “So, I’m still the only exception—”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Jun grumbles, picking up the dirty dishes and busying himself with the cleaning up process.

“I’m taking that as you’re single or maybe your current partner doesn’t have that privilege?” Sho leans in closer, stepping into Jun’s space again and Jun tsks, elbowing him sharply in his stomach, and Sho groans as he adds, “Or maybe—”

“Or maybe you need to stop talking. Why would I want to be back together with you?”

“Can you please answer me if you’re dating anyone or not?” Sho urges, glued to Jun’s side, and Jun raises a brow when Sho speaks next, “Please? Think of it as my birthday gift.”

“I don’t want to give you a birthday gift. And your birthday is next week—”

Sho lights up at that, eyes widening brightly as he steps forward, “You still remember my birthday—”

“Shut up!”

Jun shakes his head, instantly whirling around and going back to the dirty dishes, “Leave already!”

“Because you’re planning on working on my birthday gift?”

“Because I’m planning on murdering you if you don’t leave!”

* * *

The following week passes by in a similar manner.

Of researching and assignments, work piling up with the constant announcements of new menus from all over Tokyo to celebrate the upcoming Valentine’s Day.

He schedules an interview with one of the owners of a fine dining restaurant that has just finished renovating the place and preparing for its reopening. It’s one of the few interviews he got scheduled for the week and the one considered to be having the highest priority. So when just the morning of the interview day Sho gets a call from him cancelling it, he knows everything will go downhill from here.

The magazine has planned everything accordingly and this interview was going to be the featured section of the upcoming issue. Cancelling it will create an hurdle in their plan and Sho acts quickly, asking for a rescheduling even when the other end seems to be persistent about how the owner has a busy schedule.

“Just a few minutes, that’s all we’re asking. Anytime will be fine and we’ll make it. Please consider it.” Sho taps his fingers impatiently against his desk as the other end goes quiet before a few voices speak muffled in the background and a new voice joins the call.

“Alright. Tomorrow evening.”

Sho’s enthralled by it, allowing himself to get excited about it, and plan everything swiftly for tomorrow. The interview was allowed simply because the owner had informed his team he’ll only allow it if it’s Sho with how he’s requesting them to hold the interview in the new restaurant, still preparing its final touches before the grand reopening, and Sho prides himself in the fact he’s managed to build a dependable reputation in such a short amount of time, added with his past experiences as a chef.

Sho only realises it belatedly after he’s ended the call and as he jots down the meeting location and time in his planner. Looking at the date, he shrugs, and realises it can’t be helped.

It’s not like he was planning anything special for his birthday anyway.

* * *

“Thank you.”

Sho nods his head to the security guard, pulling tightly onto his jacket as he steps outside. The sharp winter breeze has him shuddering and hurriedly making his way back to his car. He tosses his bag at the back, slumping back in the seat, and letting out a long sigh.

It’s been a long day, with all the deadlines approaching and the interview scheduled on a packed day like today has completely drained him. It’s already gotten late and his stomach rumbles loudly, a reminder he’s yet to have had dinner.

He shuts his eyes, wondering briefly what to have for a quick dinner, before fishing his phone out of his pocket and goes through the notifications piled up in his phone. He doesn’t read any of them when a particular name stands out and he quickly taps the message open.

“ _ Are you dropping by today?” _

The corner of his lips tug up at Jun’s message, heart clenching seeing he sent the text a few hours ago, and if his memory serves him right, the cafe should be closing soon. He considers it briefly and quickly types out a text in response.

“ _ You’re still there? I’m not so far away. I can still make it and see you, afterall I can’t leave you sad and disappointed for not seeing me when you’ve been so patiently waiting for me :)” _

Jun’s reply takes a few moments to come and Sho cackles brightly at it.

“ _ I’m the happiest I’ve been in so long since I haven’t seen you today. Don’t drop by, I want to continue being happy here before I leave for home.”  _

He’s still there and that’s enough to have Sho drop his phone aside after typing out, “ _ I’m on my way!” _

By the time he reaches the cafe, it’s quiet and only has two tables filled. He spots Muro instantly, nodding his head, and Muro brightly waves his hand before pointing to the kitchen.

Sho smiles, ducking his head, and quietly enters the kitchen.

He stops by the doorway, a smile instantly making its across his face when he spots Jun leaning against the counters in the middle, staring idly ahead. He shifts slightly, having heard the door, and sighs, “Macken, you think it’s a good idea?”

The kitchen's empty, save for Jun, and Sho chuckles, “I mean, I’m not who you expected, but yeah. It’s a good idea.”

Jun turns around, narrowing his eyes at Sho, “You don’t even know what I’m talking about.”

Sho shrugs, chuckling as he makes his way inside, and stops by Jun’s side, “What were you talking about?”

“Something about the menu.” Jun mumbles, staring idly ahead again, but Sho doesn’t miss noticing the way he bites his lips, deep in concentration, and Sho nudges him slightly.

“You okay?”

He nods his head, forcing a smile, “I’m fine. I should be asking you. You were working until now?”

“A very long day.” Sho lets out a long breath, “I can’t wait to go home.”

“You should have gone home. I don’t understand why you’re here.” Jun shifts slightly, tapping his fingers idly against the counter and Sho hums.

“But you wanted to see me, I can’t keep you waiting.”

Jun clicks his tongue, shaking his head with a tiny smile, “I didn’t say any of that.”

“But you missed me, didn’t you?”

Jun shakes his head again, staring aside quietly, and shifts awkwardly on his feet, “So you only went to work today.”

He’s not asking Sho, just repeating the thought to himself, and Sho doesn’t mention anything about it. Silence washes over the kitchen, just slight murmurs coming from outside, until Jun finally turns around to stare at Sho. Sho tilts his head, smiling gently, “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” Jun mumbles, turning around again, and Sho hums.

“Guess I’ll leave then.”

That has Jun turning around again, eyes widening slightly until he notices Sho’s smirk, and tsks, “Leave already.”

Sho doesn’t move an inch and watches the way Jun clenches his hand tightly, before sighing heavily and walks towards the fridge, tugging the door open, and grabs something out of it.

When he walks back to Sho’s side, Sho notices the Tupperware in his hand and Jun holds it out for him, quietly mumbling, “You don’t deserve this but, I made some citrus tart. And, happy birthday.”

It is still in Jun’s hand and Sho stares between it and Jun’s bashful expression for a good few moments before muttering dumbly, “Right, it’s my birthday.”

Jun tsks, ready to pull his arm back, and Sho hurriedly holds his arm, keeping him in place while grabbing the container from his other hand, purposely brushing his hand against Jun’s.

Jun’s hands are cold, because of course he’s always cold, that never changed about him, and Sho has to bite his lips back from smirking at the way Jun shivers slightly.

“You made this for me?” Sho’s voice is quiet, heart warm at Jun’s gift, “I love it.”

“You haven’t tried it yet.” Jun grumbles halfheartedly and Sho tries not to think too much about the way Jun hasn’t moved his arm back or tried to step away.

“I’ll love it, I know.” He stares back at Jun, grinning brightly as he says, “Will you make one of my wishes come true?”

“I’m not answering that question.”

Sho frowns, whining, “Just tell me yes or no.”

“I’m busy.”

Sho can’t keep himself frowning for too long, smiling as he looks downwards and at the Tupperware again, before looking at Jun again, and quietly whispers, “Thank you, Maachan.”

Jun moves his arm back, cheeks reddening instantly and swats Sho’s arm, turning around completely, “I hate you so much.”

“What? I didn’t hear you, Maachan—”

“Shut up!”


	2. Chapter 2

Ohno purses his lip, brows furrowed as he stares sharply at the mug of coffee in his hand. Sho glances at Aiba beside him staring blankly ahead, tapping his fingers against the tabletop, and Sho lets out a long breath.

“That’s it. I give up. You two invited me and now you’re acting all strange. What’s going on?” Sho demands and watches the way Aiba’s eyes widen, staring between Sho and Ohno with an obvious panic in his eyes.

“We’re not! We’re good. Everything’s good!” Aiba’s stumbling over his words, bumping into Ohno’s side, “Right?”

Ohno clears his throat before loudly declaring, “I love Nino.”

Sho freezes at Ohno’s sudden confession, expression still serious, eyes focused on the mug, and Aiba squeaks beside him, “Nino’s going to kill you!”

“I can’t hide it from him any longer.” Ohno grumbles, kicking Sho gently by his foot, and it finally sinks in the reality of what Ohno just revealed.

“Wait! You’re dating?” Sho asks again, leaning forwards in his seat, and Ohno nods his head. 

“Four years now. And living together for the past year.” Ohno explains, frowning slightly, “I wanted to tell you earlier, but things happened and uhh,” Ohno pauses, rubbing the back of his neck, “We couldn’t tell you earlier.”

“Things...” Sho repeats, staring between Aiba and Ohno, “What exactly happened?”

“Something happened after you left five years ago and umm, Nino and I ended up spending lots of time together—”

“They even lived temporarily together along with Ju—”

“Anyway!” Ohno elbows Aiba sharply, interrupting him, and Aiba instantly looks down, and Sho knows he wasn’t supposed to blurt that out.

It’s why they kept this from him.

Something happened five years ago that made Nino and Ohno get closer and Jun was somehow involved in it too.

“We’ve been together since then.” Ohno finishes brightly and Sho nods his head, forcing a smile and ignoring the way his heart is beating rapidly and mind racing with all sorts of thoughts and questions.

Nino isn’t here, but Sho knows that when the time comes and he’ll learn everything, it’ll make sense why they hid their relationship. If it started because of whatever situation they were in that involved Jun, they obviously wanted to hide it from him, not wanting to explain how they started dating.

“So these last two times I’ve been at Nino’s place, it was actually your place as well?” Sho asks and Ohno nods his head, this time the smile he has on display is much more gentle and warm, happiness full on display it warms up Sho’s heart, “I’m happy for you both.”

* * *

Pushing the door of the kitchen open ( _ the backdoor now with how frequent he’s been coming and Muro gave him the permission to use it with how apparently he’s been having a good effect on Jun—even though they’ll never, ever mention it to him _ )

“Listen, if I ever say I want to go back to cooking, I give you full permission to slap me.” Sho whines, dropping himself on the stool beside Jun’s workstation and Jun glances at him momentarily.

“Can you please say it now?”

Sho whines louder, dropping his head atop the counter, offering a small smile to Mackenyu at the other end of the kitchen and he’s greeted back with a wider smile.

When he steps out of the kitchen, he looks back at Jun squeezing the buttercream from the piping back onto the macaron shells, “He’s a cute kid.”

“Then date him.” Jun mumbles, squeezing more of the buttercream, and Sho shifts slightly, crossing his arms atop the counter and dropping his head on top to get a better view of Jun.

“I’d rather date you.”

Jun halts momentarily, before glancing at Sho with a blank expression, “You don’t even know if I’m single.”

Sho pouts, “Please, Maachan?”

“You’re too old to be pouting like that. And stop calling me that!” Jun goes back to his macarons, topping the covered shells, and aligning them all neatly.

“I’ll stop when you answer me.” Sho tries again and Jun shakes his head.

“So, why did you come here complaining?” Jun asks instead and Sho shuts his eyes, heaving out a long breath.

“They contacted me again, my old job. I don’t think I’ll ever get the desire to genuinely cook for anyone else ever again at this point. And to think I used to enjoy cooking one day.”

Silence lingers for a while until Jun’s voice calls for him, “Sho-san.”

Sho opens his eyes and finds Jun staring at him intently and holding a macaron in his hand as he quietly asks, “Try it for me?”

For a moment, everything freezes and Sho swallows the sudden lump in his throat at the sight.

It takes him back to many nights spent like this five years ago. When rather than going home, he’d drop by Jun’s place instead, thoroughly exhausted and stressed, rambling and complaining about his day, and the only thing easing his heart was watching Jun as he would skillfully practice making different dishes each night. And Jun would always be by his side a moment later, smile on display as he would ask Sho the same question over and over again that stopped him from completely losing his mind:  _ Try it for me? _

Because if anything that was worth it about cooking and being a chef back then, it was his experiences being enough to give Jun a proper feedback he needed and enough for Sho to not feel entirely useless and worthless.

Jun saved him all those times and yet again he’s here doing the same thing, even when he clearly doesn’t need Sho’s opinion or expertise.

“You don’t need me anymore.” Sho mumbles as he sits up straight, wrapping his fingers around Jun’s wrist, pulling his hand forward, and takes a bite of the macaron still in Jun’s hand.

He hums thoughtfully, licking his lips as he looks up and meets Jun’s eyes, noting down the way Jun’s eyes widen slightly, and quietly adds, “You’re really good.”

Jun parts his mouth and for a moment no words come out until he lets out a short breath, “I don’t remember agreeing to feed you.”

“You just did.”

Sho doesn’t relent, his hold on Jun’s wrist tight, and refusing to avert his gaze until the pink tint on Jun’s cheek has Jun shoving the remainder of the macaron in Sho’s hand and turning back.

Sho smiles in triumph, humming delightfully as he eats the rest of the macaron, “Somehow I feel much better.”

“Great, then leave.” Jun mutters, his movements so slow and awkward as he piles up the rest of the macarons and Sho nods his head in compliance.

“Thanks for the macaron.”

* * *

Sho’s greeted by Nino’s glare and he instinctively takes a step back, “What did I do this time?”

“Not you. It’s those two idiots.” Nino groans, grabbing Sho’s hand and pulling him with him inside.

Sho furrows his brows, listening to Aiba and Ohno’s voices muffled from somewhere inside, panicking as Aiba suddenly shouts, “Ah! It’s leaking all in the oven!”

“What’s going on?” Sho asks and Nino huffs out another breath, “And why did you exactly call me?”

Nino grins as he explains in a voice so high and sweet, “Aiba found this cake recipe he wanted to try out and he told Ohno about it. So these two idiots came here while I was out and they’ve made a mess in the kitchen.”

Sho nods his head, uncertain what’s expected of him, “It can be difficult trying something new.”

Nino’s smile grows, sending chills down his spine and Sho swallows nervously.

What did he say wrong?

“You sure that’s your answer?” Sho takes in a deep breath, glancing towards the closed kitchen door and nods his head when there’s a loud clunk, “So you’re not going to mention how weird it is that Ohno brought Aiba to my place while I was away?”

Shit. Nino knows.

Sho smiles warily and Nino groans loudly when Aiba and Ohno rush outside the kitchen, freezing when they spot Sho and Ohno chuckles nervously at Nino’s glare.

“I can explain—”

“What did you tell him?!” Nino crosses his arms against his chest and Sho clears his throat.

“That you two have been dating for the past four years. That’s it.” Sho explains and Nino looks back at him, narrowing his eyes at him and Sho sighs, “I know there’s something more to it but whatever reason it is you don’t want to tell me yet.”

Nino lets out a long breath, shoulders slumping, and throws one last glare towards the two before glancing at Sho.

“We’re going to talk. And you two better clean things up.” Nino doesn’t await his response, instantly making his way to the living room while dragging Sho with him. 

They end up under the kotatsu, sat opposite each other and Nino clears his throat, “You probably guessed the reason why I kept this a secret.”

“It's something to do with Jun.” Sho knows he got it correct with the way Nino lets out a long breath.

“You better listen to me properly. It’s not my place to say everything because it’s up to Jun to decide just how much he wants to tell you. But,” Nino pauses, hands clenching and unclenching, “I’ll tell you just how much Ohno and I were involved in all of this. Everything else you can hear from Jun.” Sho nods his head, signalling for Nino to continue, “Do you remember when you broke up with him?”

Sho shifts slightly, the memories still so fresh in his mind, “...A day after his birthday.”

“And you traveled on?”

“...Our anniversary.” Sho mumbles and Nino claps his hand.

“Great, now that we’ve established how horrible you are, I’ll start.” Sho frowns, but doesn’t protest knowing enough he deserves this treatment from Nino. He and Jun had been friends for so long and Sho knew that if there was anyone Jun needed to rely on after their breakup, it was definitely Nino. Nino was definitely there when Jun was at his lowest and guessing from what Nino’s preparing to explain, he’ll just confirm his thoughts.

“He was fine until your anniversary arrived and you travelled. That’s when it all sank in for him.” Nino pauses and chuckles bitterly, “So he started hanging out with his friends more often. Going out nearly on a daily basis just to distract himself. It was all fine until not even two months later he told me he found someone else, that he got a new boyfriend.”

“Who was he?” Sho asks quietly and Nino shakes his head.

“Some random jerk. At first he made it seem it was all good, and stopped going out every night. I started getting worried though when he started isolating himself. I would ask him to hang out with us but he’ll turn it down every single time for weird reasons. One night, Aiba was travelling then, so Oh-chan and I decided to drop by his place,” Nino lets out a long breath, “It was a coincidence we decided to drop by that day but I’m so glad we did. He didn’t look fine at all. He seemed so lost and he was just lonely. He got so lonely after you left and after seeing us and explaining everything, I couldn’t leave him alone. So I took him to my place and he stayed over with me for a little while. 

“And Ohno?” Sho asks and Nino nods his head.

“Jun asked him to stay. Said it’ll make him less lonely and Oh-chan and I could never say no to him.” Nino rubs his forehead, “That’s how we ended up together.”

Sho looks downwards, his heart clenching knowing all the pain he caused Jun, and forces a smile as he looks back at Nino, “I’m sorry for everything. And I’m really glad he had you, Nino.”

Nino smiles slightly before a loud crashing is heard from the kitchen and he groans, dropping his head atop the kotatsu.

“I’ll go and check on them.” Sho pats Nino’s back and gets up, hurriedly making his way to the kitchen before those two end up breaking everything.

* * *

“I might go back to Spain for a few days during the summer.” Sho announces as he drops himself atop one of the stools.

“I don’t remember asking.”

“I knew a chef there and he’s opening his own restaurant. He wants me to be there for the opening.” Sho continues, ignoring Jun’s previous remark, “But I wonder what sort of restaurant he’s opening.”

“I’m not interested.” Jun goes back to decorating the cake pieces with tiny decorative flowers, and Sho hums.

“We were quite close.”

“What? Your ex-boyfriend?”

“Hmm, something like that.”

That seems to garner a reaction from Jun as he turns around, raising a brow at Sho, “So you’re planning on meeting your ex-boyfriend and trying to get back together?”

Sho shakes his head, furrowing his brows with a frown, “No. Why would I do that?”

“You’re doing that for me, I won’t be surprised if you’ll try it on others.” Jun turns back to focus on his cake and Sho gets up.

“You’re special.” The kitchen’s empty and Sho takes that as a chance to step behind Jun, lowering his head until he’s barely resting it atop Jun’s shoulder, breath warm against Jun’s neck, and Jun shudders when he leans closer and whispers, “You’re my special Maachan.”

He’s expecting the elbow to his stomach and Jun shoving him aside sharply as he grumbles, “Go to Spain, marry that guy, and don’t come back.”

* * *

Muro’s frowning when Sho drops by two weeks later and motions for Sho to come closer, “Sho-kun, you’ve been coming here quite frequently and have been a great inspiration for Jun you know.”

“Have I?” Sho chuckles brightly then halts as he focuses back on Muro’s frown, “Wait, why are you upset?”

“Jun.” Muro sighs, “He works too hard and it’s starting to get to him. He can never come up with anything new now.”

Sho freezes at that, his chest aching hearing those words.

He’s overreacting, he knows it, yet his mind can’t calm down and make up all the worst scenarios it’s capable of and comparing to his own situation five years ago. He can’t allow Jun to suffer from the burn out he did.

He needs to do something about it.

* * *

His phone goes off and Sho’s expecting it to be another work call, instantly snagging his phone but pauses when he reads the name off the screen.

It’s Mackenyu. He never calls him.

Dread settles in him instantly.

“Mackenyu?”

Mackenyu’s voice is quieter than usual when he speaks, “Hey, Sho-kun. How are you?”

“I’m good.” Sho mumbles furrowing his brows at the silence, “You okay?”

“Just a sec-” There are slight rustles and Mackenyu lets out a sigh, voice a tone louder, “Are you dropping by today?”

“I’ve got lots of work to finish and I need to finish writing this report—” Sho cuts himself off when Mackenyu’s words sink in. Whatever it is he called him for, he wants him to drop by today. He wouldn’t be calling and asking this if he didn’t want Sho to drop by. He wasn’t planning on going, but. It makes his heart race and he clears his throat, “So, I’ll probably drop by later than usual.”

Mackenyu lets out a long breath in relief, “I’m so glad.” He pauses before adding “Jun-kun’s not feeling well.”

* * *

He’s not entirely sure how he managed to finish all his tasks in the past hour at such a quick pace and instantly made his way to the cafe.

Muro greets him as usual, patting his back while adding how he’d appreciate it if he could take Jun home and actually make him stay there. Mackenyu is instantly by his side, eagerly showing Sho the way to the break room.

“He’s sleeping.” Mackenyu adds before raising his thumb up and leaving.

Sho quietly pushes the door open, cringing at the way it creaks, and enters without shutting the door completely again.

The room’s quite small, with a table in the middle, a desk at one end with files stored beside it and all over it, lockers lined up at one side, and finally a sofa currently occupied by Jun. He’s all curled up on it, an arm thrown over his head, covering his eyes, and Sho smiles when he notices both Muro and Mackenyu have draped their jackets atop Jun.

Sho kneels down at the end of the sofa, to be at the same eye level as Jun and for a while he doesn’t make any sort of move to wake him up. His chest is rising and falling sharply with each intake of air, breathing heavy and audibly, hair sticking to his forehead, and Sho’s heart clenches at the sight.

“What are you doing, Maachan? Why are you overworking yourself? You don’t want to end up like me.” Sho mutters under his breath, allowing himself to run a hand through Jun’s hair, heart clenching again when Jun lets out a quiet distressed whine in his sleep. “Jun, wake up.” Sho gently rubs his arm and watches the way Jun slowly and timidly moves his arm back, blinking his eyes wearily at Sho.

“What are you doing here?” Jun croaks out, voice heavy with sleep, and eyes puffed up red.

Sho hums quietly, trying to mask his emotions, “Came to take you home. Well, not like  _ that _ , but I wouldn’t—”

“Shut up and leave me alone.” Jun grumbles, ready to move his arm and hide his face again when Sho instantly holds both his arms.

“Jun, you’re sick. Come on, let me take you home.”

Jun shuts his eyes and heaves out a heavy breath, “I’m not that sick. It’s just a slight fever and I’ll get better after a quick nap.”

“Glad to see you’re still a baby when you get sick.” Sho grins when Jun moves his arm back, narrowing his eyes at him, but non-threatening with his flushed cheeks and tired eyes. Instead, Sho moves his hand and intertwines their fingers.

“I’m not a baby and I’m not that sick.” Jun groans when Sho pulls him upwards, helping him sit up.

“Whatever you say.” Sho agrees idly, letting go of Jun when he’s certain he can sit up by his own. Jun’s rubbing his eyes when Sho gently pushes his hair aside and rests his hand against Jun’s forehead, frowning at the warm touch, “You’re burning up.”

Jun lets out a disgruntled groan, eyes still tightly shut when Sho moves his hand to feel his cheek, and holds himself back from smiling at how Jun consciously leans closer to Sho’s touch.

_ Cute _ .

Unwillingly, Sho moves his hand away, watching the way Jun sighs heavily before blinking his eyes open again and Sho offers a small smile, “Home?”

Jun sighs, looking downwards, and nods his head.

* * *

Sho stops the car at a red light and glances aside at the passenger side.

Jun’s deep asleep, eyes tightly shut as he breathes heavily, and it’s nearly summer and there’s no need for the extra layers, but the fever has left Jun shivering, and Sho draped his jacket atop him.

Thankfully, he’s stopped shivering now.

He looks back ahead when the light turns green and continues driving quietly, trying not to think too much about the sick Jun curled up in the seat beside him until a little whine has Sho glancing aside momentarily and finds Jun frowning, brows furrowed, and lets out small indistinguishable noises.

Thankfully, they’re just by the turn of his place and Sho parks the car just as Jun grunts again.

He’s having a bad dream, Sho thinks as he turns around and freezes momentarily when Jun whines loudly before wrapping his hands around Jun’s shoulder and calls out for him.

“Jun, hey, wake up. It’s just a dream.”

Jun’s startled awake, jolting in his seat, eyes wide and chest heaving deeply, until Sho shakes him slightly, “Jun. Hey, what’s wrong?”

Jun blinks his eyes slowly as he meets Sho’s eyes, staring slowly at Sho’s hand, and nodding his head tentatively.

The only thing Jun does though is unbuckle his seatbelt and pulls slightly on Sho’s jacket. For a while none of them utter a word, Jun staring outside with a blank, unfazed look in his eyes, still trying to even his breathing and Sho sighs, turning around in his seat to stare ahead at the apartment building.

“What’s going on?” Sho asks eventually, voice quiet and Jun shifts slightly.

“It’s a fever—”

“Not that.” Sho cuts him off, “I mean you losing your inspiration for a while now, yet you keep on overworking and stressing yourself.”

“It’s just a slump.” Jun grumbles instead and Sho nods his head.

He rubs his head, thinking of the best way to put down all his thoughts into words, without forcing Jun to talk when he clearly doesn’t want to. At least not to Jun.

“When...when I was overworking myself and had that burn out five years ago,” Sho starts tentatively, “I was glad I had you to make me forget about everything going on. I wasn’t completely honest with you with everything and I still think if I was things would have been different and I wouldn’t have ended up leaving for five years.”

He goes quiet for a moment, shifting slightly to gaze at Jun and finds Jun staring back at him, a curious look in his eyes, “What I’m trying to say is, if you ever go through anything stressful like that, I hope you just know we’re here for you if you feel like talking or anything—”

“I recently met someone again.” Jun interrupts, hesitancy so evident in his voice, and Sho goes quiet, awaiting Jun to continue, “He’s someone I dated for a short time.”

Jun pulls the jacket tighter against him, shuffling slightly, and his voice so quiet, “Our relationship was terrible and I hadn’t seen him for the past few years until I bumped into him nearly a month ago. That’s when all of this started.”

“Did something happen?” Sho hopes the worry in his heart isn’t so visible in his voice and his mind is still rushing with everything Nino revealed to him that day.

“No, not really. It just brought up bad memories.” Jun takes in a deep breath, a smile so tired and forced when he speaks next, “That’s all.”

There’s more to it, that Sho can tell. But having Jun open up to him this much is more than he could have asked for, so he doesn’t push it. He just nods his head and smiles, “Let’s get you inside your apartment, yeah?”

* * *

Grabbing a spoon from the nearby drawer, Sho fills it with the porridge for a quick taste, and decided it’s ready as he lowers the heat, shutting it off completely.

Pouring the porridge into a smaller bowl and preparing it all neatly in a tray, he smiles at it and grabs it, carrying it to where Jun’s all curled up underneath a blanket on the sofa. He’s pulled the blanket all the way upwards, hiding his face behind it, and only his hair peeking from underneath it.

“Jun, you need to eat.” Sho places the tray down and Jun shifts slightly under the blanket, whining until he slowly peeks from underneath it, blinking wearily at Sho.

“I don’t need to.”

“You need to take your medicine and you need to eat before that. Come on, get up.” Jun stares at him momentarily before pulling on the blanket, and hiding underneath it again.

“It’s too cold.” His voice is all muffled again, “And I don’t want to.”

Sho tuts instead, “When I said you’re a baby, I really meant it—”

“I’m not.” Jun protests, voice barely audible, and Sho grins, shifting closer to the sofa.

“I can’t hear you.”

“I’m not a…” Jun huffs out a breath, pushing the blanket to peek once again from underneath it, but trails off when he notices how close Sho is, their faces a few centimetres apart.

He looks slightly better after changing into much comfortable clothing and washing up quickly while Sho has prepared the porridge. His skin is still radiating warmth and his cheeks flushed, but he doesn’t seem so pale anymore and Sho hums.

“Hi.”

“Goodnight.”

Jun tries to pull on the blanket again but Sho stops him instantly this time, pushing the blanket aside despite Jun’s complaints and smiles at the way Jun whines when he helps him sit up.

He’s met with another non-threatening glare, “I hate you so much.”

“I know.” Sho ignores him when he turns around, grabbing the bowl of porridge, and hands it to Jun with a spoon.

Thankfully Jun doesn’t protest this time, grabbing the porridge with a little nod, and very slowly starts eating.

Sho resists the urge to run a hand through Jun’s hair, or to stay beside him and keep an arm around him, or to just stay close to him in any way and being able to hold him when he’s feeling so low.

But, he settles to dropping himself on the sofa beside Jun, still keeping a relative distance between them, and slumps back against it.

He smiles endearingly at the way Jun blows slightly before taking another spoon of the porridge, “Is it good?”

“It’s familiar.” Jun answers instead and Sho nods his head quietly,  _ that’s good enough _ .

They both don’t utter anything else as Jun continues eating and Sho realises he needs to leave, yet he can’t find it in himself to leave Jun just yet.

“Sho-san?” Jun stirs the spoon idly in the bowl, “You made this.”

Sho blinks his eyes at Jun’s sudden remark but nods his head, “Yes. Something’s wrong?”

“No, it’s just…” Jun stirs the spoon one more time before glancing back at Sho, “I thought you don’t cook anymore, especially for others.”

It takes a moment for Jun’s words to sink in and Sho smiles at that. It hadn’t felt like a chore or bothersome, stressing like it did five years ago and continued doing so even when he left for Spain. Yet it felt natural preparing it for Jun, not once having any doubts or feeling uneasy about it. Terrible unwanted memories have linked themselves with cooking and Sho has found himself plenty of times in his own kitchen trying to prepare something for himself and ending instead reliving past events he’d rather forget. Yet none of that occurred here.

“I guess you’re just special in everything.” Sho mumbles and Jun looks downwards at the bowl before placing it atop the coffee table and doesn’t utter any other word.

“You need to rest and I’m in the way.” Sho stands up at the lingering silence and goes to pick up the bowl, placing it in the tray. He’s about to step aside to head towards the kitchen when he feels Jun’s hand tugging the back of his shirt. He halts in his spot and turns around slightly, “What is it? You need something?”

Jun’s grip on his shirt is tight as he mumbles something so quietly Sho misses hearing it. He furrows his brows at that, “What is it?”

That seems to sour Jun’s mood as he lets go and starts pulling on his blanket again, “Thanks for everything.”

Sho watches the way Jun refuses to meet his eyes, obviously annoyed at what Sho couldn’t hear, and Sho places the tray down again, holding Jun’s arm back when he pulls on the blanket and leans downwards so he’s in the same eye level as Jun, “What’s wrong?”

He asks, keeping his voice quiet and gentle, refusing to force Jun and Jun rubs his eyes before looking down at his hands, “I’m cold. That’s it.”

“You’re lying.” Sho instantly replies back, grinning at the way Jun rolls his eyes.

“And you’re annoying.”

Sho drops his hand atop Jun’s hand, squeezing encouragingly, “Please tell me what you said earlier.”

Jun bounces his leg slightly and mumbles, “Your hand is warm. You’ve always been like this. A walking space heater.”

“You’re the one that’s always feeling cold.” Sho adds with a chuckle. Jun nods his head tentatively and Sho squeezes on his hand tightly, “Is that what you said earlier?”

The lack of response is an answer enough for Sho to understand what Jun’s asking for.

He doesn’t think a second longer about it before leaning forward, wrapping his arms around Jun, and nearly stumbles backwards at how quick Jun was to wrap his arms around him tightly, instantly hiding his face against Sho’s neck.

It’s been five years but holding Jun like this is painfully familiar and it has Sho instinctively tightening his hold when he feels the sudden lump in his throat at the way Jun lets out a long shaky breath.

Nearly six months being back in Japan yet this moment right now finally feels like he’s come back home.

He’d been an idiot for throwing their relationship away five years ago.

He doesn’t move back, rubbing Jun’s back soothingly, and smiles when Jun’s breathing evens out. Slowly and gently, he leans backwards and helps Jun lie back on the sofa, pulling on the blankets and tucking him in.

He leaves but not before staring at Jun deep asleep and whispering, “Get well soon, Jun.”

* * *

“Today marks exactly seven months since I came back to Japan. I think I waited long enough.” Sho remarks, crossing his legs from where he’s sat atop one of the stools. He smiles when Mackenyu’s by his side, placing a plate down.

“Matcha mille crepe cake. Jun-kun made this just before you arrived.”

Sho thanks him and instantly grabs a fork, cutting down a small piece of the cake, stuffing it into his mouth. The invigorating green tea scent is heavily present, slight bitterness of the matcha present underneath the sweet, creamy layers, but offering a welcomed, delicious balance.

He shuts his eyes, savoring the taste, and lets out a long satisfied hum. “This is so good!”

“Right? Jun-kun is really talented!” Mackenyu eagerly adds.

Jun finally turns around from where he’s jotting down in his notebook at the opposite counter, “Sho you’re too loud.”

Sho frowns, stuffing another bite of the cake in his mouth, “Please don’t grow up to be like him.” He tells Mackenyu, earning a bright laughter from him, and he shakes his head.

“I wouldn’t mind being like Jun-kun, I really admire him.”

Jun smirks at Sho and Sho sighs, before raising a brow and grinning at Mackenyu, “You know him well enough, right?” Mackenyu nods his head eagerly again, “Do you know if he’s dating someone?”

“Huh?” Mackenyu furrows his brows at that, staring between the two of them, “I thought you two were dating from what Muro-san told me.”

Jun lets out a long distraught whine, “Why would I date him?!”

“Hey, what’s wrong with me? And you dated me once!” Sho argues just as Mackenyu claps his hand.

“Ah, right! He told me you two used to date. I just got mixed up.”

Jun shakes his head when Mackenyu steps outside, humming brightly to himself, and Sho takes it as a chance to get up from his seat, dropping himself on the stool beside Jun instead.

Jun raises a brow at him, “So, are you dating anyone?”

“Go away.”

“Please.”

“Do you understand the meaning of go away?”

“Not really.”

Jun drops his notebook with an unimpressed frown, turning his head to stare at Sho when he leans closer, “You’re a child. Seriously.”

Sho shrugs, smug grin on display as he scoots closer, his leg bumping against Jun’s, “I don’t care as long as I get an answer.”

“You’re not getting an answer.” Jun counters and Sho pouts.

“Why not?”

“Because I said so.”

“What if I kiss you?”

That has Jun raising a brow as he repeats, “What if you kiss me?”

“If you allow it then it means you’re not dating anyone, and if you don’t then you’re dating someone.” Sho says as a way of explanation, leaning so close to Jun till their faces are a few centimetres apart. For a moment, he does believe Jun will allow him, with the way he doesn’t lean backwards, still holding his gaze, until he suddenly seems to realise the reality of their situation and flicks Sho’s forehead.

“No. You’re not kissing me just to find that out.”

Sho whines loudly, dropping his head atop Jun’s shoulder. He takes it as a win the way Jun doesn’t move backwards but allows Sho to stay there leaning against him.

“Please.” Sho lifts his head slightly, staring up at Jun and quietly pleads, “Just a yes or no.”

Jun smiles, patting Sho’s head, “I’ll think about it.”

“That’s not what I asked.”

“So you’re hiding it from Muro-san!” Mackenyu’s voice snaps them out of their thoughts, grinning widely as he lifts his thumbs up at them, “Don’t worry, your secret is safe with me!”

“We’re not...I give up.” Jun mumbles as Mackenyu steps out again, “He has too much energy sometimes I can’t catch up.”

Jun sighs loudly, rubbing his forehead, when Sho lifts his head sharply again, leaning in closer to Jun when he remembers Jun’s earlier words.

“You said I’m not allowed to kiss you just to find that out, right?” Sho recalls, voice eager, bouncing his legs excitedly it has Jun frozen for a moment, nervously nodding his head.

“I said that.”

“So I’m allowed to kiss you for any other reason?”

Jun’s eyes widen and he instantly whacks Sho’s arm, “You’re an idiot—”

“What if I said that I really want to kiss you?” Sho interrupts, leaning in closer, their faces a few centimetres apart again, and heart thumping at their proximity and hopeful at the way Jun doesn’t lean back. He lowers his gaze to Jun’s lips and adds in a tone much more serious, voice slightly higher than a whisper and just for Jun to hear, “Will you allow me?”

He wonders if Jun realises the way he presses his legs closer, allowing Sho more room to scoot forward, till Jun’s practically in his lap, and when Sho rests his forehead against his, Jun responds by shutting his eyes tightly.

It happens so gradually, the way he shuts the distance between them, connecting their lips, slight hesitancy after all these years apart, but then it’s all overwhelming and overflowing emotions.

His heartbeats are loud, ringing in his ears, as he gives in to the tenderness he’d been holding back, cupping Jun’s cheek gently as he deepens the kiss, the touch electrifying. Then Jun crushes his heart when he lets out a small, needy noise from the back of his throat when they pull apart briefly, Sho only realising now Jun has grabbed onto his arm during the kiss, and his hold is tight. He doesn’t hold himself back this time, pulling Jun back and Jun meeting him halfway. His hand slipping down to his hip, holding steadily and squeezing gently, while he cups Jun’s cheek again, holding him in place when Jun wraps his arms around his neck, pulling him closer, enjoying the way Jun practically melts into the kiss, tilting his head to get a better angle.

He pulls apart, inhaling sharply, remaining so close to Jun, and feeling his warm breath against his lips as he lets out long shaky breaths.

Sho smiles and pecks Jun lips once more before leaning slightly backwards to get a full look at Jun. His lips are all red and it has Sho smugly smirking, “So, well you finally answer me and tell me if you’re dating anyone?”

“Shut up.” Jun grumbles, voice lacking any heat, and runs a hand through his hair, “I can’t believe I allowed this to happen and in here out of all places.”

“Next time at either one of our places?” Sho asks, smug smile full on display, and Jun hums thoughtfully, feigning it all.

“What makes you so sure I want it to happen next time—”

“You two better not be planning on doing anything unsanitary in the kitchen.”

Muro’s voice startles them both, Jun instantly moving backwards, while pulling on his shirt, and grumbling, “We weren’t doing anything.”

Muro hums, “So Macken was right about you two dating.”

Sho shakes his head, “I thought he said he’ll keep it a secret?”

At the mention of his name, Mackenyu trails behind Muro, peeking slightly behind him as he quietly mumbles, “I’m sorry, Jun-kun. I just remembered I’m bad at keeping secrets.”

* * *

Sho takes in a deep breath, shutting his eyes as he quickly blurts out, “I kissed Jun two days ago—”

“I know!”

Sho smiles brightly at Nino’s sudden outburst and looks at Ohno pleadingly. Ohno grins, “You’re my best friend, but I live with this guy. He’ll kill me in my sleep if I’m on your side, and I sleep a lot—”

“Jun!” Nino interrupts, crossing his arms against his chest and averting his glare to Ohno, “We’re taking Jun’s side.”

“But Matsujun will probably be on Sho-chan’s side if he’s allowed him to kiss him.” Aiba joins into the conversation, appearing from the kitchen and hands each one of them a glass, filled with a very omniscient purple liquid.

Sho swirls the glass slightly, “Uhh, Aiba. What’s this?”

“Tea. It’s a purple tea. One of my friends was travelling and brought it recently. Since we’re talking about Jun-chan, I made this. I always told you guys purple suits him a lot.” Aiba eagerly explains and Sho continues watching the tea carefully, lifting it up and taking a quick sniff yet it doesn’t have any particular smell that makes it stand out.

“It’s good.” Ohno’s voice has him looking up and finds Ohno and Aiba eagerly talking about the tea while Nino’s frowning at his own glass as well, before setting it down.

“Anyway! We’re here to talk about Jun.” Nino announces loudly, grabbing Aiba’s and Ohno’s attention, “Sho apparently has grown up and realised he was a terrible—”

“Inconsiderate,”

“Selfish,”

“—boyfriend to Jun.” Nino finishes following Aiba’s and Ohno’s interruptions, and Sho frowns looking between them.

“Was I really that terrible?”

“You were a jerk to Jun with the way you ended things.” Ohno confirms, voice serious as he swirls the glass in his hand, “And you weren’t here after your breakup to see how it affected him.”

Sho shifts slightly and Aiba nudges him from where he’s sat beside him, “Sho-chan, when it got really terrible for Jun, I was travelling for two weeks and I wasn’t there. When I got back, suddenly these two,” Aiba pauses to point to Ohno and Nino sat opposite them with a small smile, “Were living together in Nino’s place along with Jun.”

“What happened with Jun exactly?” Sho asks and Nino shakes his head.

“It’s up to Jun to tell you everything. I already told you enough.”

Sho nods his head understandingly before looking back at them again, “Is this why you two kept your relationship a secret from me?”

“It started when we got much closer because of how we were living together and we didn’t want to have to explain to you how we started dating when you were so far away and we didn’t know how you viewed Jun.” Ohno explains, “Sho, you’ve been my best friend for so long, butI seriously hope you won’t make Jun go through what he went through again. If you do then I’ll be helping Nino in murdering you.”

“I won’t.” Sho replies swiftly and Ohno lets out a sigh, bumping into Nino’s side when he’s remained quiet for too long.

Ohno whispers something to Nino the same moment Aiba whispers to Sho, “They fret over Jun a lot since they practically adopted him in the time they lived together.”

“I’m a very proud parent.” Nino interrupts and Sho chuckles, staring down at his hands as he speaks, “I was terrible, and I’m sorry for everything I did. But, I’m glad he had you guys looking after him all this time.”

“Why did you call us anyway?” Nino asks and Ohno nods his head.

Sho smiles nervously. Right, he called them and told them he really wanted to meet and discuss something important with them.

“Jun’s birthday is close and…”

* * *

“I’m going to Spain next month.”

“Why are we having this conversation again—stop eating the ingredients!”

Jun swats his hand sharply, glaring at Sho’s grin, “Go away to Spain already.”

Sho purses his lips, quieting down as Jun grabs the chocolate drops and starts adorning the cream part of the cream puffs with it, forming a panda peeking.

As he takes a step back, observing his work with a frown and eyes intently focused on it, Sho notices the bags underneath his eyes and remembers Muro’s words when Jun had gotten sick last time.

_ If only he’d learn the meaning of resting. He’s always overworking himself. _

Jun adds two additional chocolate drops, forming the panda’s hands as if it’s holding onto the cream puffs edge and it isn’t difficult for Sho to make the decision.

Sho taps his fingers against a leg along that familiar rhythm of that song he’ll never remember what it was, but Jun’s always humming to it. He doesn't avert his gaze until Jun looks aside lightly, the corner of his lips tugging up and Sho grins, clapping his hands once, proud for being able to grab Jun’s attention.

“You’re an idiot.” Jun says as he picks up one of the cream puffs and places it down in front of Sho, “Here, if you have this will it be enough to keep you quiet?”

Sho lights up at that, grabbing the cream puff and smiling at the panda, “It’s cute. Nearly as cute as Maachan—”

“I thought that was to keep you quiet!” Jun interrupts, cheeks puffed out slightly, until Sho half-shrugs and takes a bite of the cream puff. The lightness and fluffiness of the dough combined with the sweetness of the cream has him shutting his eyes, appreciatively moaning at the taste, and grinning once he swallows it and Jun’s still staring at him with a tender glow in his eyes.

Sho pats the stool beside him, motining for Jun to sit down, and Jun feigns the way he huffs out a breath at annoyance before complying and sits down.

“Do you have anything planned for your birthday?” Sho asks while taking another small bite of the cream puff, humming slightly, and Jun shakes his head.

“No, not really. And it’s nearly a month away anyway.” Jun clarifies and Sho nods his head in confirmation.

“Great, then you’re coming to Spain with me.” Sho holds the cream puff for Jun, “You should try it.” The way Jun suddenly stiffens, eyes bulging, has Sho biting his lips back from grinning, “You should try out more often what you make—”

“Sho!” Jun interrupts, sputtering, “What do you mean I’m coming to Spain with you?! Why would I want to do that and what does this have to do with my birthday?! And can you please stop grinning like that!”

“But this is fun.” Sho adds, his wide grin still plastered across his face, and the incredulous stare Jun throws towards him has him chuckling, “Fine, just try this first? You said you didn’t have lunch today, at least eat this.”

Jun holds his gaze for a few seconds before letting out a long breath in defeat and nods his head, “Fine.” He tries to grab the cream puff from Sho’s hands but Sho holds it back, shaking his head, and Jun rolls his eyes, “No.”

“Why not? You fed me before.”

“You pulled my hand and made me feed you. There’s a difference.”

“Not really.” Jun narrows his eyes at him and Sho half-shrugs, “Fine, then you’re not getting any explanation.”

Jun takes in a deep breath, muttering something about how big of a baby Sho is, and Sho holds the cream puff for Jun, watching the way Jun tentatively stares between it and Sho, before taking a small bite.

Sho grins in triumph and Jun rolls his eyes at him again, “Can you just talk?”

“The chef I talked to you about before that’s inviting me there, he’s actually inviting me and a plus one. I decided I want you to be my plus one. That’s it.”

“What does this have to do with my birthday and who said I’ve agreed to be your plus one?” Jun asks again and tsks when Sho holds the cream puff again for him, “Stop it.”

Sho doesn’t relent, enjoying the way Jun’s getting flustered, before taking another small bite, but Sho purposely moves his hand aside far too quickly before Jun moves his head back, smearing some of the cream at the corner of his lips.

“It’s happening on your birthday and you just said you have nothing planned, so you’re free and can make it.” Sho puts the cream puff down and grabs Jun’s hand when he tries to wipe the cream away. He purses his lips at Sho, confusion clear in his eyes, until Sho leans forward, licking the cream away and stealing a kiss from Jun in the process.

Jun freezes when Sho doesn’t lean back completely, his face flushed as he continues speaking, “Everything’s been paid for and prepared. I talked with the others about it as well. It’s only for two days and Muro-san has been wanting you to take a break for too long, I’m sure he’ll agree for you to take some time off. You just have to say yes and come with me.” Sho doesn’t give Jun the chance to speak when he presses his lips against his again, enjoying the way Jun tilts his head, allowing Sho to deepen the kiss. He inhales sharply when he pulls apart, “Please Maachan?”

Jun stares downwards, hands clenching and unclenching, still considering it, until he says, “I’ll come only if you agree not to call me that again.”

Sho’s heart skips a beat at that, pulling Jun closer again, “Thank you, Maachan!”

“Stop it!” Jun swats his arm and leans back when Sho tries to steal another kiss, “And no. You’re not kissing me here anymore. Get up and leave.”

* * *

“I’m tired.” Sho whines, dropping himself face first onto the bed, sighing deeply at the way it sinks, sheets cool and comfortable, and shuts his eyes tightly.

The exhaustion of the long flight, the lack of sleep, and the time difference is starting to get to him. He’s fully drained and he knows if he’s left as he is he’ll fall asleep in no time, but.

“At least get up and change.”

That keeps him awake.

Sho turns around, lying on his back, and grins brightly at Jun standing at the end of the bed, staring towards the window and the wide view of the city it gives, “We have a good view.”

“ _ I  _ have a good view.”

Jun rolls his eyes at Sho and steps towards the window, properly admiring the city now. For a while, neither of them speak, silence lingering in the room, until Sho’s stomach grumbles loudly, and Jun turns to stare at him with an amused look in his eyes.

“Dinner?” Jun asks and Sho nods his head eagerly at that.

“Dinner.”

* * *

Sho flickers his eyes open slowly, darkness engulfing the entire room, and his eyes are heavy, enough to have him falling back asleep any moment, except the cold touch against his arm is a reminder of why he woke up in the first place.

“Jun?” Sho croaks out, clearing his throat slightly, before turning around and finds Jun reaching out for him in his sleep.

He flickers his eyes open at Sho’s voice calling for him, instantly scrunching up his nose, “It’s cold.”

His movements are lazy and slow, but Sho scoots closer, and Jun instantly curls up against him, dropping his arms around Sho, and intertwines their legs, his feet freezing against Sho’s.

Sho shudders at the sudden cold touch, “Why are you this cold? It’s summer.”

“The air conditioner is too cold.” Jun whines, hiding his face against Sho’s shoulder, and sighs in content, “You’re warm.”

“You get cold too easily.” Sho shuts his eyes again when Jun doesn’t utter another word, “Go back to sleep.”

Silence washes over the room and Sho focuses on hearing Jun’s breathing as it starts evening, until Jun mumbles out in a semi-conscious state, voice coming out in a gentle whisper, “I missed you.”

He opens his eyes at that, moving himself slowly backwards to get a better look at Jun, and finds him already asleep. He probably didn’t even realise what he was revealing, in a voice so little and vulnerable. Sho swallows the sudden lump in his throat, his heart unable to calm down, and leans closer to Jun again, tightening his hold on Jun, and relishes in the way Jun lets out a satisfied sigh in his sleep.

It ends up being the best sleep he’s gotten in the past five years.

\---

They have a day for themselves before the opening tomorrow and Sho had planned it out accordingly for Jun to experience as much as they can in one day in Barcelona while he’ll be able to relive a few aspects of his life of the past five years. 

Their day started with a food tour, spanning over seven establishments, and lasting for nearly four hours. It’d been perfect; a walking tour to get around town while also experiencing delicious tastes. The tour ended by lunch time, but with all the food they experienced and got to taste, they’d been full and went on a quick walk to the closest museum.

“This building used to be a warehouse, you know.” Sho starts as he walks beside Jun, admiring the different setups, giving the general overview history of the Catalonia region of Spain. “Then in 1992 it was renovated for the Olympics.”

Jun glances at him with a smile, shaking his head, before looking ahead as they continue their stroll, “You’re the worst tour guide. You’re just reading everything off the pamphlet.”

Sho chuckles, still idly looking over the pamphlet before shutting it close, “You make it seem as if I spent my last five years coming to this museum everyday. I never came here.”

“Like I said, the worst tour guide. You’re taking me to places you don’t know.” Sho bumps into Jun’s side slightly.

“Last time I checked, you were supposed to be travelling with your boyfriend, not a tour guide.” Sho watches the way the corner of Jun’s lips tug up in a smile.

“Obviously just my boyfriend since you’re terrible at being a tour guide. I thought I was getting both.”

Sho can’t help the smile coming across his face, remembering Jun’s quiet confession before he drifted asleep. They’d gotten back together for over a month now, but have barely made any real progress. Sho still drops by the cafe and they hang out occasionally when they meet with the rest, but that’s all there is to it.

They hadn’t gone to any proper date as it is and Sho knows that deep down, they’re both delaying everything, taking things far too extremely slow, because of the constant fear of how if they rush things or take any wrong steps, it’ll be a repeat of last time. And Sho doesn’t know what’s going on exactly in Jun’s head, but he’s certain seeing Sho again and being reminded of their breakup has brought up some unwanted memories and it’s been complicating things.

Last night’s confession, it had been the first time Sho’d seen Jun be so vulnerable and honest in front of him again, even when he’s certain it hadn’t been intentional and Jun blurted it out in a semi-conscious state. Either way, to know Jun’s honest feelings while he’d been all wrapped up around him in their mini holiday has left him all giddy.

“What’s with that smile? It’s creepy.” Jun snaps Sho out of his thoughts and Sho chuckles and shakes his head.

“I’m just happy.”

* * *

A stroll through the city while dropping by some of the city’s famous landmarks, to having a quick stop to get some merienda before dinner, to watching the sunset from a park where all the buildings seemed like fairytale gingerbread houses, to having dinner in a restaurant with an _Experience Menu_ where the chef’s choices were served for the entire courses; it was a day wellspent.

“I want to sleep.” Jun mumbles, voice slightly slurry after the wine they had over dinner, and drops himself in the center of the bed.

Sho chuckles as he takes off his jacket and drops it aside, “You’re drunk.”

“ _ You’re  _ drunk.” Jun adds, staring at Sho with a gleam in his eyes, “You’re too obvious.”

“What are you talking about?” Sho asks as he combs his fingers through his hair, pushing it back.

“Sho, you’re drunk.” Jun brightly chuckles and starts rubbing his eyes, “You’re in your first stage.”

“What stage?” Sho asks, furrowing his brows at Jun brightly chuckling, and sits at the edge of the bed, “You’re not making sense.” 

He runs a hand through his hair again, his hair refusing to stay back, and Jun’s giggling again, “That.”

Jun wraps his fingers tightly around Sho’s wrist, tugging him closer weakly, but Sho instead moves to straddle Jun, resting his forearms right next to Jun’s face, holding himself above Jun, “You’re not making any sense.”

Jun runs a hand through Sho’s hair, holding it back, and hums, “I mean this. Your hair. You keep on doing that when you get drunk.”

Sho leans, pecking Jun’s lips once, “I don’t.”

“You do.” Jun stubbornly argues, giggling so brightly, “That’s the first stage.”

“What first stage?” Sho asks, offering a bemused smile for Jun.

“You get drunk in different stages. That’s the first stage. You keep on pushing your hair back.” Jun mumbles when Sho leans downwards again to kiss him again.

He chuckles at Jun’s observations, “And you remember that still?”

“Yes.” Jun still has his hand holding Sho’s hair back, moving it to wrap his arms around Sho’s neck, giggling amusedly again, “Then you start having this glazed look in your eyes.”

Jun’s touches are electrifying and his mind is all fuzzy with being drunk and gazing so keenly the way Jun’s eyes are crinkling every time he giggles sends a tingling jolt and a desire to even get closer. He leans downwards again, pecking Jun’s lips again. And again.

“Then you... start scratching... your shoulder.” Jun manages to utter between his giggles and Sho’s consistent kisses.

“Hmm. I had no idea.” Sho smirks at the way Jun lets out a small, satisfied sound from the back of his throat when Sho starts trailing kisses from his lips to down his neck, and tilts his head backwards to give Sho more access.

Jun lowers his arms and grabs tightly onto Sho’s arms, holding in a breath when Sho bites on a spot. He feels warm all over, skin tingling, when Jun keens and Sho breathlessly leans backward to face Jun again.

Jun’s all flushed already and Sho smirks, “Fourth stage?”

“You’re already there.” Jun giggles again, albeit it isn’t as loud as before, and wraps his arms around Sho’s neck again, pulling him downwards to connect their lips and whispers against his lip with a smile, “You try getting in my pants.”

Sho kisses Jun thoroughly again, before leaning backwards and hums quietly, “I’ll get to that.”

* * *

Sho blinks his eyes open to Jun’s hair tickling his nose. He scrunches up his nose, leaning slightly backwards to rub his face, earning a very loud disapproving groan from Jun.

“Don’t move.” Jun croaks out, tightly gripping on Sho’s tshirt to hold him in place, “Who told you you’re allowed to move?”

“Stop getting all cranky at me.” Sho mumbles, voice thick with sleep, but stays in his spot as Jun leans further onto him, seeking warmth, “Why are you always so cold?”

“Why do you talk too much?” Jun complains, voice muffled against Sho’s shoulder.

Sho sighs and drops an arm around Jun, shutting his eyes again when Jun lets out a soft yawn. He doesn’t know how long they remain like that, Jun breathing heavily against his shoulder, arms tightly wrapped around Sho, and a leg between his. Sho blinks his eyes open again, the sleep clogging his mind slowly fading away and bringing into full consciousness, and with a small smile as he absentmindedly rubs his thumb softly against the small of Jun’s back, he’s brought back the memories of the night before.

Of their drunken and sleepy conversation and giggles which somehow led to Sho straddling Jun, and then spending the rest of the night thoroughly enjoying Jun and the noises he made. He’d been flooded with warmth, every touch bringing in a newfound thrill, and the continuous need to touch Jun and to be close to him had engulfed him the entire night.

And waking up next to a grouchy Jun, his hair fluffy yet disheveled after going to bed immediately after a shower, with that purple mark so visible against his collarbone and a complete contrast against his pale skin being a reminder of the night before, it’s enough to have Sho smile sleepily.

He’s never been more glad for the universe allowing him to get a second chance with Jun.

Jun sighs deeply and Sho goes back to gently rubbing his back. He shuts his eyes and figures they could sleep in for a while longer. Other than the restaurant's opening later on in the evening, they hadn’t planned anything for today and—

Sho opens his eyes, mind slowly realising he’d planned on taking Jun to a quick stroll through one of the nearby markets and try to get him anything for his birthday.

It’s his birthday today.

“Happy birthday, Maachan.” Sho whispers quietly, earning a quiet sigh from Jun.

“It’ll only be a happy birthday if you would stay quiet and let me go to sleep.”

Sho chuckles and pats his back gently, “Just go to sleep.”

* * *

The restaurant's well decorated and brightly lit, people all around, the majority being familiar faces.

The opening has been a success and Sho has been enjoying the company of all these different individuals in the same field, some he’d come across at one point in the last five years here. The conversations seem endless and as he steps away from a couple, he looks beside him to Jun.

He’s clad in a well-fitted black suit and a maroon tie a contrast striking against the black dress shirt. His hair’s been immaculately pushed aside, and overall he looks striking.

Jun steps closer to Sho when he finds him glancing at him, “Your friend, where is he?”

“There.” Sho looks forward and finds his friend in the middle of a small crowd, mostly consisting of the previous restaurant they both worked in, “He’s Yamamoto. We both got the opportunity to come here together five years ago and took it. I think just getting adjusted to this new lifestyle while missing home at times is what brought us closer to be honest. But, he’s a great, talented chef. There’s no doubt about that.”

Jun nods his head thoughtfully, before quietly asking, “And he’s the ‘sort-of’ ex-boyfriend?”

“Yeah.”

“Sho-kun! I’m so happy to see you again!” 

The additional voice interrupts them and Sho smiles politely, “It’s so good to see you again, Yamamoto.”

Yamamoto instantly steps forward, wrapping Sho in a sudden hug, patting his back once before stepping away, “It’s been what, nearly nine months now. I really missed you. Everyone does!”

Sho musters up a smile at that before glancing back at Jun, “Yamamoto-kun, this Matsumoto Jun.”

“Yamamoto Itsuo. Nice to meet you, Matsumoto-san.”

Sho watches them as they exchange an introduction, smiling politely, until Yamamoto shifts the focus back to him, “You’re really lucky, Matsumoto-san. To have Sho-kun back in Japan. We all were disappointed when he left.”

“Everyone’s too nice.” Sho shakes his head at Yamamoto’s words and Yamamoto chuckles.

“Tell you what, if you ever change your mind, come back here and help me run this restaurant.”

Sho’s frown has Yamamoto chuckling brightly until someone calls for him and he excuses himself. It’s only after he’s out of sight that he’s glancing back at Jun and notices the way Jun’s looking dazed, eyes blankly staring ahead idly, until Sho nudges him slightly, “Are you okay?”

“Why won’t I be?” Jun smiles at Sho. Despite the smile seeming unnatural, Sho doesn’t question and allows it to pass by.

They leave past eleven and reach their hotel room with midnight being nearly twenty minutes away.

“You never told me what you want for your birthday.” Sho drops himself at the edge of the bed, watching Jun chuck off his jacket.

“I got to spend two days in Spain. This little holiday was more than enough.” Jun says, walking towards the bed and Sho grabs his hand, tugging him towards him. Jun complies so swiftly and allows Sho to pull him forward until he’s atop his lap, straddling him on the bed.

“Hi.”

Jun rolls his eyes at Sho’s grin, “What do you want?”

“What do you want for your birthday?” Sho tries again and Jun shakes his head.

Sho expects him to utter any complaint, or to shrug it off, or to even get up, just anything but the way Jun drops his head atop his shoulder, hugging Sho tightly. He instantly wraps his arms around Jun, pulling him close, and Jun sighs.

“If it’s anything, then I hope you’re not planning on breaking up with me again tomorrow.” Jun says with a chuckle, leaning backwards smiling as he gets off Sho.

Sho freezes, Jun’s words racing through his mind. He said it lightly, shrugging it off as another one of their anecdotes from their past, but the way Jun had clung to him before confessing that, it’s the complete opposite. It’s Jun’s fear that Sho will repeat their past again.

He grabs onto Jun’s hand before he steps away and Jun tilts his head slightly and Sho shakes his head, “I won’t.” 

Jun chuckles lightly, pulling his hand, “Good.”

He goes back to hanging his jacket aside and Sho knows there’s much more to it, that they should definitely have a conversation about it, but the way Jun’s evading it for now has Sho letting it go.

They’ll have to have this conversation eventually.  



	3. Chapter 3

Sho’s immediately swamped with work when he gets back to Japan.

The first three days are overwhelming with work and it’s only by the fourth day he gets the chance to quickly drop by the cafe. Unlike his previous visits, Jun’s not in the kitchen when he enters and Sho stops by his workstation to view Jun’s notebook and the many ideas he’s jotted down. His handwriting is messy, notes all over, along with a few sticky notes stuck around, and small doodles of his own image of how the dessert will come out to look.

“Jun-kun is really talented.” Mackenyu’s voice snaps him out of his thoughts and Sho turns around, smiling gently at the notes before nodding his head.

“He is.”

“Ah, Sakurai-san, you’ve known him for a long time you probably know this.” Mackenyu steps closer with a little pout, “For some reason Jun-kun never makes cheesecake.”

Sho furrows his brows, “He doesn’t?”

His response has Mackenyu nodding his head with a sigh, “I’m guessing you don’t know why either?” Sho shakes his head and Mackenyu continues, “It’s never one of the desserts he prepares in here and when I asked him once to make it, he said he doesn’t know how to make cheesecakes.”

Sho blinks his eyes, furrowing his brows again, repeating quietly, “He doesn’t know how to make cheesecakes.”

“He said he knows how to make it in general, but he never learned it properly so he won’t make it.” Mackenyu further explains, staring at Jun’s notebook with a pout, “Do you remember anything about him when he was learning?”

Sho shuts his eyes, tapping his fingers against the counter as he tries recalling their past, “I remember him trying out different things continuously and asking me to try it out. Or sometimes—”

Sho’s eyes shoot open, widening instantly when the memory rushes back to him, leaving him speechless. He swallows the sudden lump in his throat, thankful Mackenyu still staring at the notebook to notice Sho and Sho quickly makes up a continuation of the sentence, “Sometimes he’d try out some recipes he’d come across in magazines or stuff like that.”

Mackenyu nods his head, still pouting, and Sho looks aside towards the kitchen door when it creaks open and Jun enters.

Sho’s heart began racing, feeling a heavy weight against his chest, and an ache in the back of his throat making it difficult for him to speak up. He settles on smiling instead at Jun and Jun shakes his head at him, “You didn’t come for three days I thought I finally got rid of you.”

“N-no. I was busy with work.” Sho manages to sputter out, unable to hold a proper conversation with Jun.

The way Jun glances back at him, eyes staring at him intently as he asks, “What’s wrong with you?”

Sho forces a chuckle, shaking his head, “Nothing. I’m just really busy. Even today.” He pauses to look down at his watch without really paying attention to the time, “I only had a few minutes and thought of dropping by and saying hi. I have to leave now.”

“Now?” Jun repeats quietly and Sho nods his head.

“Yeah. See you tomorrow!”

Sho rushes out after that, looking down as he quickly makes his way back to his car. Shutting the door of the car, he slumps in his seat and rubs his face, groaning loudly at what Mackenyu made him realise.

Jun did try out different dishes some nights, asking Sho to try it out. Then there were times he’d ask Sho to teach him a specific recipe and Sho would help him in preparing it.

Then there was their anniversary promise.

It’d been Jun’s idea to visit a park before autumn fully arrives, watching the leaves in their very early stages of drying out.  _ It might help you take your mind off everything else,  _ had been Jun’s exact words. Sho proceeded to add one more plan to their day: Sho would teach Jun how to prepare a cheesecake. Jun had been considering making it for a while and Sho took it as a chance for them to prepare it together.

Jun prepared that day while considering Sho fully, and Sho repaid him by breaking up with him shortly before their promised date.

They were supposed to enjoy it together and Jun was supposed to learn the cheesecake recipe from him, yet none of those things happened. 

And now, five years later, Jun still refuses to prepare cheesecakes because he wasn’t taught properly how to do it; Sho didn’t teach him. For Jun, all the dishes he prepares have a linked memory to their times together with how practically he tried everything out with him. Yet the cheesecake never happened; it’s a reminder of how everything went wrong.

Sho groans loudly again.

Their anniversary, the day Sho left Japan, is only three days away.

He needs to fix things properly as soon as possible.

++++

The way Sho stopped himself from dropping by the cafe for three more days was inevitable.

He could barely concentrate whenever Jun came in his mind and dread filling him at how he’s still unprepared on how to fix things.

Three days of going to work, concentrating fully on all the tasks he’s been given, and not allowing himself to get some time off to drop by the cafe. Or think of how to properly have that conversation with Jun. There is one idea that pops up in his mind, it’s the proper way to make things right, yet Sho can’t help the way his heart is refusing to settle down and making all sorts of doubts arise. Yet time passes quickly and the next thing Sho knows, it’s already the night before their anniversary.

He needs to act fast.

Slumping against his car seat the moment he enters, he takes in a deep breath, remembering the way Jun had held him, clung to him tightly as he asked him not to leave him again on his birthday, and the way he confessed how he’d missed Sho all along the night before it.

Two days in Spain with Jun had them progressing in their relationship and he doesn’t intend on making it worse.

He lets out a long breath, determined on his goal, and knows where he’s headed.

++++

He’s pacing around the kitchen, eyes darting from the Tupperware atop the counter, to the clock indicating it’s nine in the morning, to his phone clutched tightly in his hand.

“Sho, stop it.” Sho finally stops, turning around to find Ohno rubbing his eyes, “Nino will come back soon.”

“I’m an idiot. I shouldn’t have done this.” Sho groans, running a hand through his hair, still damp after the quick shower he took before he left his place. The cheesecake didn’t take too long to make last night, yet the constant thoughts and worries didn’t let him get a wink of sleep, and he’s certain he’s a mess right now with his disheveled hair, tousled from the times he’d run his hand through it, and the bags under his eyes so visible.

He’d planned out everything yet the only complication in his entire plan is the fact he hasn’t seen Jun except once after coming back to Japan throughout this entire week. It’d been only for a few moments where he’d been all flustered and rushed outside without explaining anything to Jun.

So calling Jun and planning everything didn’t cross his mind. Instead, he’d settled on grabbing the cheesecake he prepared and dropped by Nino and Ohno, hoping they’ve got the answer he needs.

“Just like how you acted impulsively last night, I’m sure you’ll be able to act impulsively if anything doesn’t go as planned.” Ohno says when Sho starts pacing around again and sighs, “You won’t stop?”

“I  _ can’t _ .”

“Sho, stop it.” Nino’s voice grabs their attention and Sho instantly halts, turning around fully, and steps forward as Nino enters the kitchen. He’s smiling smugly and Sho knows it’s a guaranteed sign he’s going to annoy him afterwards with it, but it’s also a good sign, “He told me he doesn’t have work today, but he’s not home.”

Sho feels his body going limp, suddenly lacking all the energy and motivation he had earlier. His voice is barely audible when he mumbles, “He’s not home?”

Nino’s still smiling as he shakes his head, “Nope. He’s going to the same place again this year.”

“Same place?”

“Yeah. There is this one place he’d been going on this specific day for the past few years.” Sho furrows his brows at Nino’s words and Nino sighs, “I don’t know where it is and I really hope you can figure it out—”

“Garden—park—I mean,  _ that _ . Is it something like what he told you?” Sho quickly interrupts and Nino smiles again. Sho lets out a long breath, staring back at the Tupperware.

“He’s on his way right now. Hurry up and go there.” Nino adds encouragingly and Sho looks back at him with a smile despite the nervousness settling in him.

“Thank you.”

++++

The park’s expansive, stretching out for so long, and has three different gardens; it’s too huge for him to find Jun instantly. He’s lost the moment he enters, not having a single clue how he’s supposed to find Jun here without any idea of where he’ll be. He’s got his bag across his shoulder, holding on tightly to its stap, and feeling the weight of the Tupperware in it.

He needs to hurry up.

Taking a deep breath, he looks around and Jun’s nowhere in sight, and tries recalling everything Jun mentioned five years ago. It’s still early to view the autumn leaves so Jun probably kept in mind a spot where he can enjoy the view no matter the season.

He continues walking around, eyes roaming all over the spot, and he finds the Japanese Garden section and his heart just screams it’s the right place to find Jun. And he does.

Alone on a bench overlooking the pond, Jun’s slumping back against it, eyes blankly staring at the pond, and Sho lets out a long shaky breath as he makes his way towards Jun.

Jun instantly spots him, lifting his head to stare at Sho wordlessly, before looking back ahead at the pond and Sho settles down beside him. For a while neither one of them utters a word, the only sounds surrounding them is of the birds nearby, of the little splashes in the pond, and of the distinct sound of the visitors.

It’s still early, shortly after the opening time, and the park is still empty with only a few visitors, thus currently leaving him and Jun in their own spot with nobody nearby.

“Is this why Nino called asking me if I’m home?” Jun asks, voice barely audible, and Sho swallows the sudden lump in his throat.

“Yes.”

“You went there to their place this early to ask about me instead of calling me.” Jun mumbles, “You’re an idiot.”

Sho chuckles quietly, “I am.”

He’s clutching on his own hands and takes out a long breath. When he speaks, his voice is quiet, “Do you remember how often we spent our time together, either at my place or yours? You used to come by so frequently after work and spend it at my place. We were practically living together. Then you left.”

Sho clenches his fist, desiring so much to remove all of Jun’s doubts, but stays quiet for now as Jun finally pours his heart out.

“I came here like we planned for some reason and it all hit me then how lonely I was. When I was home, everything reminded me of you, and when I was working and trying to learn, I linked everything to you and how I wanted you to try things out for me. But you weren’t there. And I ended up being in a horrible relationship just trying to ease this loneliness.” Jun takes in a deep, shaky breath, “We fought a lot until one day I found the mug you used to always use and accidently dropped it when he came in. We fought one last time and broke up then.”

Jun chuckles forcefully and deprecatingly, his voice wavering, “Nino and Ohno were worried about me and dropped by the very right moment. It was just when he’d left and I was in the kitchen ready to cry over a broken mug.” Jun pauses, looking aside, and letting out a long shaky again, “I was a mess, I couldn’t handle being at my place, and Nino dragged me to his place. At night, when Ohno wanted to leave for his own place, that’s when I ended up crying.” Jun chuckles again, shutting his eyes tightly, so evidently holding himself back from tearing up, “I didn’t want him to leave. And he actually stayed. Over, and over again.”

Shifting slightly, Jun turns to face Sho, eyes watery, but still holding himself back, “I missed you and it felt a lot like you didn’t care about our relationship at all. And when you came back, I thought things would be fine. You were different and I don’t know how I allowed myself to be with you. I thought I could get over everything that happened, but then we went to Spain together and being together like that reminded me so much of everything we had five years ago. Meeting your ex-boyfriend didn’t really help and you’ve been acting all weird ever since we came back and…”

Jun pauses, turning around again, rubbing his eyes and mumbling, “I hate you so much but I also don’t. But I don’t know how I can continue being with you when I keep on remembering the past and you’re acting all weird and I—”

“I love you.” Sho interrupts, taking in a deep breath when Jun turns to stare at him, eyes widening slightly, “I didn’t tell you this entire time I got back, but I love you. I still love you.”

Sho looks downwards and shakes his head, “I was an idiot five years ago. You were there for me and what we had was the only thing going right in my life. But I wanted to run away from everything and I ended up leaving you too. I shouldn’t have done that. And I know no matter what I say nothing will change the past and the mistakes I made, but I want you to give me the chance to fix everything up. It’s why I came here today—”

“How did you know that I’m here?” Jun interrupts suddenly, eyes intently focused on Sho, “I always told Nino that I go to a park but I never told him the exact place.”

Sho smiles gently at Jun, “We promised to come here five years ago. On our anniversary.”

Jun stares at him with an unfamiliar glow in his eyes, voice small as he asks, “You remembered that?”

“Of course. I always regretted not coming here with you. And I promised you I’ll teach you how to make cheesecake,” Sho looks down at his bag and opens it, taking out the Tupperware with the cheesecake, holding it out for Jun, “I haven’t really prepared it in so long, so I tried out last night. And.” Sho smiles as he pushes it in Jun’s hand, watching the way Jun slowly and carefully holds it, and repeats the very same words Jun used for him over and over again all those years ago, “Try it out for me?” Jun whips his head around, eyes widening at Sho’s words, “I depended a lot on you before but I wasn’t giving you back the same. Let me do it correctly this time.”

Jun’s hold on the Tupperware is tight and he looks down at it when his eyes start tearing up. He uses one hand to rub his tears, while the other holds on tightly to the Tupperware, and Sho doesn’t hold himself back this time.

Wrapping his arms around Jun, he pulls him in for a tight embrace, and Jun allows it, hiding his face against his shoulder, sniffling slightly, while his hands remain holding tightly to the Tupperware.

“Please don’t repeat what you did last time.” Jun mumbles against his neck and Sho’s hold on him tightens, pressing a kiss atop his head.

“I won’t. I promise.”

Jun takes in a long shaky breath, prompting Sho to pull him closer, and he earns a whine in return, “You’re going to crush the cheesecake.”

Sho chuckles at Jun’s complaints, holding him back again to stare at him, smiling at his frown as he looks down at the Tupperware and Sho cups his cheek, rubbing the slight tears away, and forcing Jun to look back at him, “I love you.”

He kisses him instantly, enjoying the way Jun leans into his touches, and when he leans back, Jun’s smiling, despite his reddened eyes, “I’ll only say that after I check and see if you haven’t crushed the cheesecake.”

Sho laughs brightly and purposely pulls Jun closer again, connecting their lips, and thoroughly kisses Jun’s doubts away.

If he crushes it accidently, it’s fine, they can make another one afterwards.

++++

Aiba claps his hand excitedly at the cheesecakes atop the counter and Ohno smiles brightly, “They all look good.”

Nino stares at the cheesecakes for a while, then looks back at Sho and Jun standing beside each other, shaking his head, “Do I want to know what happened today morning?”

Jun shrugs, “I told you. We talked then we went to his place and made cheesecakes.”

“Three cheesecakes.” Sho adds and Nino narrows his eyes at them, “I mean I love cheesecakes, but I can’t finish all of them myself. So we brought them for you guys.”

“Why would you make three cheesecakes for no reason?” Nino shakes his head, “Wait, what happened to the one you took with you?”

Jun points to Sho with a glare, “He crushed it.”

Sho grins brightly, nodding his head, “But, we made three other ones. So it’s fine.”

Nino stares at them quietly, then back at Aiba and Ohno already contemplating which one to try first, then back at Sho and Jun, “I’m happy for you two, but please don’t be a bunch of idiots and make an unnecessary amount of cheesecakes to celebrate.”

“We’ll try our best.”

Nino shakes his head, grinning despite it all, “I don’t believe you. You two are idiots.” Aiba and Ohno clap enthusiastically and Sho glances to find them trying out one of the cheesecakes already, hugging tightly this time while rambling how good it is. Nino steps beside them, reprimanding them on not to finish the entire thing in one day, and Sho nudges Jun slightly.

“I think they approve of us being together again.”

++++

He steps into  _ Stay Gold  _ as usual after work and finds Mackenyu excitedly clapping his hands. When he spots Sho, he continues clapping enthusiastically and motions for him to get closer.

When Sho does, he finds a plate in front of Mackenyu, a piece of cheesecake resting in the center of it, and Sho hums, smiling instantly, “He made it?”

“And it’s so good!” Mackenyu exclaims, humming brightly as he takes another piece, “Jun-kun is so good.”

Sho takes a step back when the kitchen door is pushed open, and Jun enters, pausing slightly when he spots Sho, but smiles at him and makes his way towards their side when Mackenyu starts clapping excitedly again at Jun, “Jun-kun, it’s so good!”

Jun pats his back gently, “I’m glad you’re enjoying it.”

Sho continues grinning at Jun and Jun rolls his eyes at Sho, ignoring him and walking aside towards their break room.

Sho follows him and with nobody inside, he instantly pulls Jun backwards, pinning him against the wall, and smirks at the way Jun narrows his eyes at him, “What?”

“Nothing. Just,” Sho leans close to Jun, whispering in his ear, “You still haven’t answered me if you’re single or not.”

Jun laughs brightly, whacking Sho’s arms, “Keep on asking me this ridiculous question, and I might eventually answer you I’m single.”

Sho hums, leaning in closer and pecks Jun’s lips, “I think I can change your mind.”

Jun’s eyes lit up, wrapping his arms around Sho’s neck, and whispers against his lip, “How?”

Sho pecks Jun’s lips once, then twice, before whispering, “By making a cheesecake. Or two.”

Jun bursts into laughter and Sho’s stomach does a little flip at that, heart beating so feverishly hearing that laughter, and can’t stop himself from wrapping his arms around Jun and dropping his head atop his shoulder, nuzzling Jun’s neck.

_ He’s finally home. _


End file.
